Demigoddess in a Wizarding World: Half-Blood
by Rooney1077
Summary: The charges against Perci Potter have finally been dropped after the events in the Ministry last summer. Nothing about her is the same, though. She's pushing people away, even the person closest to her. She can't take the chance of endangering someone after what she did. To top it all off, she has to go back to school. Fem!percy Takes place in the 6th book. Sequel to The Phoenix.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey, guys. This is the third installment in the Demigoddess in a Wizarding World series. This is only a little over 2,400 words, but I wanted to get it started. I hope you enjoy the first chapter. Please review, follow, and favorite. Thank you!**

 **-Rooney1077**

The last anyone had heard from her, Perci was in Alaska. The only one she attempted to keep in contact over the summer was her brother, Harry Potter. Fred had sent many letters. Although, all of them were sent back unopened. She had told Harry that she didn't want to speak to anyone apart from him. Harry had relayed the message to the Weasley's through a letter. Most of them understood why neither of the two Potters wanted to talk to anyone. They had just lost the last of their family. They needed some time. Though, Fred felt as if she was ignoring him for some other reason.

Harry sat in the subway station, awaiting the arrival of his sister, whom of which he hadn't seen for weeks. They decided, with the approaching school year, they should catch up. Harry looked over at the billboard across the tracks. "Tonight make a little magic with your man." A pretty model looked sensually at him, holding a petite bottle of perfume. The little side café shook as the train flew past them. The next time Harry looked over at the billboard a woman with a small stature stood there, her hands in her pockets and her hood covering her face. She looked around before walking calmly across the tracks. She pulled open the door and sat down at Harry's table. The woman pulled down her hood and grinned at Harry.

Perci looked older, regal. She looked as if she had come from a party. Her green eyes that turned more and more like his every day popped from the dark smoky make-up she wore. She had on a black shirt, jeans, and a beat up, fimiliar jacket. She had somehow made it look mature and even beautiful.

"Perci," Harry laughed. They got up and hugged tightly before taking their seats. Perci raised her hand and a barista came over to their table with a small notepad.

"Hello, what would you like today?" She said while eyeing Harry out of the corner of her eye.

Perci gave her a smile and kicked her brother from under the table to stop looking at her. "Hey, may I have a black coffee with the milk boiling, please?" The barista nodded and gave Harry a long look before going to the back. Harry stared after her with a small smirk. When he looked back at his sister she had an eyebrow raised. "She pretty," was all she said before the barista came back with her coffee.

Harry flushed, grinning. He nodded at her outfit and make-up. She looked down. "Oh, a friend of mine got married today. I was his best woman. I don't know if you remember him–Nico." Harry shook his head. She took a sip of her scalding hot coffee, the temperature not affecting her at all. "How is, er, everyone?" Perci asked.

Harry raised a brow this time. "You mean how is Fred?" Perci blushed, but nodded. "He's not doing very well. He's stressed, worrying about you and about his and George's new joke shop." Harry frowned at her expression. "What happened between the two of you before you left?"

"They finally opened their joke shop, eh?" She laughed nervously. Harry crossed his arms. She fiddled with her coffee cup.

"You hate coffee." Harry said gently.

Perci nodded and swiftly wiped a tear off her cheek. "It reminds me of him. The warmth."

Harry put his hand on hers. "Why don't you visit him or at least write back?"

Perci shook her head furiously and spilt her coffee. The barista came over and cleaned it up. Perci fidgeted anxiously. "I-I can't. Too dangerous after what I did. After I killed that man." She took a shaky breath. "Did you know he had a family? Two kids and a wife."

"Perci, you did what you had to do. He chose this life." Harry said. "You, me, and Fred are the only ones that know, right? How could it be dangerous for you to see him?"

"Bellatrix knows." Perci muttered. Harry flinched. He didn't want to talk about her; he didn't want to know the thing that woman did to his sister. "I'm sure she's told Voldemort. I can't–I won't risk him for my selfish needs."

Harry leaned back in his chair. "Do you love him?" The barista came back before she could answer.

"Anything else?" She asked. Perci asked for a to-go cup of her coffee and paid her muggle money.

Harry decided to change the subject. "So you're going back to Hogwarts for your seventh year?"

Perci nodded. "Yeah, I've also got a part time job." She said, looking past Harry.

"With who?" He asked.

"Snape," Harry frowned. Perci rose from her seat and went to a window. She looked at the billboard she had apparated in front of. She motioned for Harry to come over. "Is that Dumbledore?"

Harry groaned and left the cafe with Perci in his tracks. They carefully crossed the train tracks and stood beside Dumbledore. The old wizard looked up at the billboard with wonder.

"The both of you have been reckless this summer." He said, not taking his eyes off the billboard. Perci just shrugged her shoulders.

"I like riding around in trains. Takes my mind off things." Harry caught sight of Dumbledore's hand. It was as black as charcoal.

"Rather unpleasant to behold." Dumbledore said. "The tale is thrilling, if I say so myself, but now is not the time to tell it." He held out both of his arms. "Take my arms."

Perci looked down his dark hand and raised an eyebrow. "Er, Harry? Do you want to take the funky one?" She asked.

Dumbledore gave her a look. After a moment of contemplating she grabbed ahold of it. Harry glanced back at the barista at the cafe. Perci shook her head with a smirk. "Don't do it, Harry. Her hair's probably bigger than your penis. That tends to disappoint some women." Harry glared at her.

"Take my arm, Harry." Dumbledore ordered. Harry groaned, but did as he was told. As soon as they touched, Harry and Perci felt as though they were falling and then had stopped suddenly. Perci calmly stood by Dumbledore when they had arrived with her coffee still in her hand. Harry blinked the stars out of his eyes and regrettably realized he had left his stomach back at the cafe. He was extremely nauseous.

"We–we just apparated, didn't we?" He spoke, his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath.

"Indeed. Quite surprised, I might add. Most people vomit the first time." Dumbledore said, looking around.

"Harry, if you do puke, go over there. I just got these shoes in Italy." Perci said. Harry rolled his eyes. Dumbledore turned around and began walking.

"Welcome to the charming village of Budleigh Babberton." They came across a grand house with a gate. "I assume you two must be wondering why I have brought you here."

Harry chuckled. "Actually sir, after all these years I just sort of go with it."

Perci shrugged. "I don't really care. This is better than sitting around with my flat-mate watching dog show reruns and listening to his irritating voice."

Harry felt a wave of anger wash over him. She was staying alone in a house with a man? They grew closer to the house. Dumbledore must've felt something for he ordered them to draw their wands. They alight them and stepped into the dark house. It was messier than Perci's cabin was in Camp Half-Blood, and that's saying something. Glass, wood, fabrics, and other household items littered the stained carpet.

"Horace?" Dumbledore whispered. "Horace?"

Perci scowled when a thick liquid dropped into her head and rolled down her face. She wiped it off and looked at her fingers. Blood. She felt like throwing up. "Damn!" She whisper-yelled. Harry motioned at her to shut up. Perci's scowl deepened as she threw him the middle finger. Harry rolled his eyes at his childish sister.

"Sir, why is the whole place trashed except that chair?" Harry pointed at a blue and white striped armchair. Dumbledore frowned and headed toward it. He cautiously poked it with the tip of his wand. Immediately, it sprang to life, a head popping out.

"Merlin's beard!" The head yelled. It got up. "No need to disfigure me, Albus." It began to shake it's arms, the cushioning disappearing.

"Well, I must say, Horace, you make a very convincing armchair." Dumbledore crossed his arms.

"Well, I come by the stuffing naturally. What gave me away?" The man said now fully morphed into an actual person. Dumbledore pointed to the ceiling, lighting up Harry and Perci.

Horace raised his furry, grey eyebrows. "Uh, oh." He looked at the two.

"Oh yes, I believe introductions are in order." Dumbledore grabbed Harry by the shoulder. "This here is Mr. Harry Potter. And his sister, Perci. I'd like for you two to meet an old friend and colleague of mine, Horace Slughorn."

Slughorn stared at Harry in awe. "Harry Potter." He stared as if in a trance before his eyes found Perci. He paled. "Perci Jackson."

Perci smirked at the obvious fear on his face. He must've not heard that she had been cleared from all "killing" Cedric Diggory. "Actually, it's Potter." She informed him. Harry felt a sense of pride when she corrected him. He suppressed a grin. "The place looks like shit," she added.

"So what's with all the theatrics, Horace. You aren't, by any chance, waiting for someone else, were you?" Dumbledore asked, changing the subject. Horace quickly went to shut a door.

"Someone else? I'm sure I don't know what you mean." He said anxiously. Dumbledore gave him a look and he broke. "Alright, the Death Eaters have been trying to recruit me for over a year. Do you know what that's like? You can only say no to these people so many times before they... I never stay anywhere for more than a week." Horace quipped. "The muggles who own this place are in the Canary Islands."

"I think he should put it back in order for them, don't you?" Dumbledore waved his wand. Broken glass flew back to the windows and fixed itself. Furniture unflipped and repaired itself. Trinkets fixed themselves. Everything flew back into place. "That was fun. Do you mind if I use the loo?" Horace nodded. "Perci come with me."

"What? I don't need to pee or anything." She said indignantly. Dumbledore, however, drug her along, leaving Harry alone with Horace.

"Don't think I don't know why you're here, Albus. The answer's still no. Absolutely and unequivocally no!" He yelled after Dumbledore before giving Harry a nervous smile. The silence was palpable. He chuckled. "You look very like your father. Except for you eyes, you've got–"

"My mother's eyes, yeah." Harry finished. He had heard many times before. "So does Perci, you know."

"Yes, she looks almost just like her. Lily, lovely Lily." Slughorn said. "She was exceedingly bright, your mother. Even more impressive when one considers that she was muggle-born."

That struck a nerve in Harry. "One of my best friends is muggle-born. She's the best in our year."

Slughorn seemed to panic. "Oh, no! Don't think I'm prejudice, no! Your mother was one of my absolute favorites. Look there she is, right in the front." Slughorn pointed to a picture. Harry looked closely. Of course, the picture moved as all magic photos did. His mother stood smiling right next to Slughorn. She was beautiful. "All mine, each and every one. The students, I mean." He pointed to one on the highest shelf. "Recognize Barnabus Cuffe," He laughed. "Editor of the Daily Prophet. Always takes my owls wen I wish to register an opinion on the news of the day."

He pointed to another of a woman riding a broomstick playing quidditch. "Gwenald Jones, captain of the Holly Head Harpies. Free tickets whenever I want." His tone was turning into bragging. Harry took a picture in his hands and stared at it. The boy in the front seemed familiar. "Ah, yes. Regulus Black. You, no doubt, know his older brother Sirius died a couple months ago." Harry silently nodded. "I taught the whole Black family, all except Sirius. It's a shame. Talented boy. I got Regulus later, though. But if had liked the set." He chuckled.

Harry sat the picture down as Dumbledore and Perci entered the room once again. "Horace! You mind if I take this?" He held up a magazine. "I do, very much, enjoy knitting patterns." Harry quickly went to stand beside Perci.

"Yes, of course. But you're not leaving already, are you?" Horace asked.

"Oh, I think I know a lost cause when I see it–regrettable. I would've considered it a great personal triumph if you consented to return to Hogwarts. Oh, well. You're very much like these two Potters, here: one of a kind." Dumbledore laughed. "Well, goodbye, Horace." Dumbledore walked swiftly out the door with the two teenagers following him. As soon as they exited the gate, Slughorn flew out of the house.

"Alright," he called after them, "I'll do it. But I want Professor Maycott's old office, not that water closet I had before. And I expect a raise. These are mad times we live in, mad!" He yelled before slamming his door shut. Dumbledore led them out of the gates community humming all the while.

Harry and Perci caught up with him. "Sir, what was all of that about?" Harry asked.

"You are talented, famous, and powerful–everything that Horace values." Dumbledore spoke to Harry.

Perci scowled. "Thanks, Dumbledore."

She scoffed.

"Perci, he thinks you're a murderer." Dumbledore said. "Professor Slughorn is going to try to collect you, Harry. You will be his crowning jewel. Perci, he may try with you, too, though so I'd be ready." Perci rolled her eyes. She doubted he would. "That's why Slughorn is returning to Hogwarts. It's crucial he should return." They continued to walk until they were out of the sights of all muggles.

"I fear I may have stolen a wonderful night from you, Harry. She was very pretty, the girl. And I'm sure you weren't busy, Perci." She glared at Dumbledore even though he was right.

Harry grinned. "It's alright, sir. I'll go back tomorrow, make some excuse."

"Oh, you two will not be returning tonight." The old wizard said.

"Where are we going?" Perci asked.

"What about Hedwig and my trunk?"

"Both are waiting for you. And I'm sure you have an idea." Dumbledore held out his arm. Harry grabbed it.

"Wait, what?" Was all she could get out before Dumbledore disapparated them out of the muggle village and away from the professor.


	2. Chapter 2

**This is the second chapter of the sequel to The Phoenix. I will probably have the next chapter up a little bit after Christmas and surely before the new year. Enjoy! Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review. Merry Christmas!**

 **-Rooney1077**

They landed in long, soppy grass. Harry, not being at all graceful, fell on his ass in a puddle. Perci stood steady on her feet, her coffee still in her hand. Did she have it this old time? She looked around and when her eyes fell on the burrow she threw her coffee to the ground and yelled in irritation. "God dammit, Dumbledore!" She yelled at the sky. "Made me sit in a damn loo for 10 minutes." She murmured. Perci sighed and bent her knees, as if she was going to kick off.

Harry frowned. "What're you doing?" He asked.

"Leaving. I can't be here." She said.

Harry grabbed her by the arm. "Dumbledore wanted us to go here for some reason. We're going to have to trust him." He reasoned.

She seemed to contemplate this, but then shook her head. "I'm not going to put them in–"

"Perci, I doubt anyone knows where you are. The last place they would check would be here. I mean, why would you be here? You ditched them!" He raised his voice. "You ditched me! You were completely selfish. It didn't matter what everyone had sacrificed for you to be here. You threw us away!" He grit his teeth. He let go of Perci's arm, blood now caked under his finger nails.

All Perci did was stare at him. She didn't even notice the bloody half moon marks on her forearm. He was right, wasn't he? "I am selfish. I get that." She sighed, her shoulders slumping. She debated the consequences of staying with the Weasley's. Maybe the Death Eaters didn't know where she was. Maybe she could just– "Fine," Perci said. Harry nodded and the two headed out of the swampy grass toward the Burrow.

Perci's heart thumped loudly as she opened the door of the house. She could hear the Weasley's yelling all around the house. She saw her Hogwarts trunk and books sitting by Harry's trunk and Hedwig in the sitting room. Harry went over to greet Ginny. They must've found out he was there. Perci could hear shrill yells and cries of happiness, mostly coming from Mrs. Weasley. Perci felt awkward in the small, cluttered house. She alway felt at home in the Burrow, but things were different now. Perci took a deep breath and straightened out her clothes. She walked slowly from out of the living room and stood behind Harry.

"Oh, Dumbledore! That man!" Molly laughed. "What would we do without him?" She clapped her hands and gave Harry another hug. She let go of him after her eyes found Perci. She stood awkwardly behind him, shifting from one foot to the other. Molly stared at her for a minute.

Perci could feel the tension in the room. She could also feel Molly's eyes on her. Was she upset? Disgusted? Disappointed? Perci took a shaky breath. "Hey," was all she could choke out. She wanted to leave, to save herself the embarrassment and hurt of not being welcomed back into the Weasley family. However, Molly had other ideas. She rushed forward and enveloped Perci into the biggest hug she had ever received. She held onto Perci for dear life, not wanting her to leave again. Perci had no problem with that; she missed her mother-figure.

"Okay, Mum, give her a few minutes to breathe." Ron said, rolling his eyes with a small smile. They all finished greeting each other, hugging and laughing after several minutes. Molly brought both Potters over to the living room and sat ten on the couch. The only inhabitants of the house at the time: Ron, Hermione, and Ginny joined Molly and the two siblings in the living room.

They stared at each other until Molly broke the silence. "So, Perci," her motherly instincts kicking in, "where have you been?"

Perci sipped on her cup of tea. She glanced at everyone in the room nervously for help, but they all shook their heads with little grins, knowing she was going to get chewed out. "Er, first I went to New York and then California for sometime. After that I stayed in Alaska for a few weeks. I've been in and out of London. Just got back from a wedding in the States."

Molly crossed her arms. "Couldn't send an owl? Not even one to tell us that you were alive and well?" She raised her voice slightly. "We were worried sick! You couldn't check in at all? Too busy doing what exactly?" Molly was pacing back and forth now. Her hands shook with rage. Perci knew this was going to happen.

"I needed to take some time away," was all Perci said.

Molly ignored her comment. "But you could talk to Harry every few weeks. Only family, eh? Well, whether you like it or not, we're your family, too, Perci!"

"It was too dangerous." Perci tried reasoning. Everyone watched the two women in silence. "Voldemort and the Death Eaters knew what I did. They know my weaknesses, too. I couldn't endanger any of you just because I wanted to see you!" Perci was on her feet, too, yelling. "You are my family, I know that. You all have been my family for years."

"Then why not check in once in a while?" Ron piped up. He grit his teeth and clenched his fists. Hermione saw his irritation and placed her frail hand on his.

Perci sighed, sitting back down. "Harry already has a target on his back. That won't change. I didn't see a reason to do that to all of you." Perci placed her head in her hands. "I won't endanger anyone else for my selfish needs. Hurting all of you was the last thing I wanted to do. I'm sorry." Her voice cracked. No, she thought, don't you cry.

"Everyone is at risk. You Know Who doesn't care what they mean to you. He'll kill anyone because he knows that it will still hurt, still anger you. You can't protect everyone. You're just kids." Molly said softly. "Just relax."

Molly's words went into one ear of Perci's and flew out the other. But she nodded. "Now, all of you, go clean up."

Molly ordered.

Perci sighed, looking around at Fred and George's bedroom where she always used to sleep when she lived with the Weasley's. It was the same– still as messy as ever. It was a tiny room, but they still had managed to fit three beds in it. Perci smiled, walking around the room. She hadn't been in it for a long time. She missed the whole house. Perci picked up a letter on Fred's nightstand and sat on his bed. Her hands shook as she opened it. This was the letter she had received a week after she left.

'Dear Perci,

I miss you. The house is boring without you. No–not boring. Barren. Barren of any laughter and happiness. My heart is a barren wasteland without you here.'

That last line was scratched out. He must've rethought that. Perci laughed lightly. Fred must've been trying to be poetic. He wasn't the type, but she thought it was endearing that he did try. Fred would try anything for her. Perci continued to read the letter.

'Please come home. I miss you. The whole family misses you. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you. Please, come back to me.

With love,

Fred'

Many wouldn't believe that Fred had written that letter. He was a completely different person around his friends than with her. He could relax and not have to be the funny, care free prankster everyone saw him as. Perci loved that about him. She loved him. She had for a while, but it didn't matter. She knew what Molly had said only an hour ago. But she would not take the smallest chance of that. Perci knew what she must do.

Perci wasn't really sure how Harry, Ron, and Hermione had roped her into accompanying them to Diagon Alley. She had planned on laying on the couch all day and eat excessively to the point where Molly would have to wheel her out in a wheel barrow to the Hogwarts Express. They had just entered Diagon Alley. It was shocking how barren and dark it was. Diagon Alley was known for its crowds of people shuffling along and busily talking. It was quiet. Perci didn't like the quiet.

The three led her along the winding path until they reached a tall orange building with a huge, moving statue of a red headed man. Perci read the sign: "Weasley's Wizard Wheezes". A sharp pain hit her. This was her, Fred, and George's dream. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks. Fred would be here, and so would George. Perci backed away glaring fiercely at Harry. "What the hell do you think you're trying to do?" She growled. "You know I can't be here." Perci hissed as Harry approached her.

Harry grabbed onto her hand. "Just come see what's inside. I know you want to." Perci sighed. He was right; she did want to see how their dream turned out. Perci nodded and followed them in. She would just avoid the twins.

Of course that plan went to shit. The moment she stepped inside Fred and George stood right in front of her. They only stared at her. What was it with everyone and the staring? After a moment both of them, at the same time, embraced her tightly. Immediately, Perci had forgotten everything danger and risk she was putting them in. In that moment, she didn't care. She was with the people

she loved.

But then reality hit her and she pulled away. "The place looks incredible." She chuckled nervously. She glanced at the cluttered walls filled with joke products the three of them had designed. Her eyes fell on a small portion dedicated to the founders. Her portrait was right in the middle of Fred and George's. They included her. Her eyes welled up with tears.

"So do you," Fred piped up. His eyes had yet to leave her. If it was anyone else, even George, Perci would've felt uncomfortable with Fred's eyes roaming her body. She wasn't sure if he meant it to be sexual or to check for injuries. It made her heart pound.

George laughed and clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Smooth, Freddie." He hugged her one last time before leaving the two alone to help a customer.

Fred still stared at her. Perci couldn't tell why. She hadn't changed that much. "I missed you."

Perci looked around desperately. She needed to get out of this situation as soon as she could so she would not make a mistake. "Me too." She said shortly.

Fred frowned. He reached out to touch her, but Perci flinched slightly. He saw it and drew his hand back. "Are you okay?" He asked. Perci shrugged her shoulders. "Did I–did I do something?" His brown eyes bore into hers, hurt evident in them. Perci hated doing this to him. She hated hurting him.

"No, no, it's just–" Perci began, and saw Harry: her way out. "We can finish this some other time. I need to talk to my brother." She walked past him, but

Fred grabbed onto her arm.

He didn't turn to look at her. His eyes were on the ground. "Please, please don't do this. I know what you're doing." His voice was hoarse and Perci could feel the pain in it as if it was her own pain.

She gently took ahold of his hand, his warm hand, and slid it off her's. "I'm not doing anything." She said before leaving him alone, heading over to Harry. A tear slid down her face. She bumped into someone tall roughly. She looked up. "Sorry," she said.

"No, it was my fault." Dean Thomas, Perci recognized him. He was one of Harry's friends. She nodded and continued on her way to Harry. He was looking at a dark rock, Peruvian Darkness Powder, Perci noticed. One of her ideas. She grabbed his arm.

"I can't do this. Can we go?" She mustered all of her mental strength to stop the tears from falling. Harry nodded and gathered Ron and Hermione. They shuffled past the crowd and out of the shop.

Hermione breathed in the fresh air. "How are Fred and George doing it? Half the bloody Alley's closed down." She said to no one in particular. They continued to walk down the alley.

"Fredrick reckons people need a laugh these days." Ron offered.

"I reckon he's right." Harry said. They walked past the now abandoned buildings, remembering when they were once alight and filled with chattering wizards and witches. Hermione stopped in front of Ollivander's Wand Shop.

"Oh, no. Everyone got their wands from Ollivander's." She said sadly. Perci pushed open the door and the four of them walked around the store until they saw two familiar looking people.

"Does it look like Draco and Mummy are two people who don't want to be followed?" Ron mused.

Perci's heart stopped, seeing that it was, in fact, Draco Malfoy. She instantly remembered all that he done to her. Her fear was soon replaced with rage. Perci growled, her pupils burning a bright orange like fire. Her fists erupted in flames. Her training with Chiron over the summer was paying off. Harry widened his eyes and took off his jacket to put out the flames.

"What are you doing?" He hissed. "D'you want them to see us?"

Perci stared straight ahead at the two. "I don't really care." She said through gritted teeth.

"Well, I do. We need to follow them. We can deal with Draco at school." Harry reasoned. Perci looked up at him and extinguished her hands and eyes.

"Fine," Perci sighed. The four of them hurried out of the shop and began to follow the two Malfoy's. They hid behind alleys and ducked out of sight until they finally reached a shop that the two pure bloods we're going into. Harry pointed to the roof causing Ron and Perci to scowl.

"We're not climbing onto the roof!" Ron whisper-yelled. Perci nodded in agreement, but Harry ignored them and began to climb up. Hermione did so rolling her eyes. Perci dragged herself and Ron up to the roof muttering curses the whole way. This was as much exercise she had done since her training with Chiron.

The foursome looked into the dirty glass, making out Draco and Narcissa and a few others, presumably Death Eaters. They tried to get closer, but a large, furry man with fangs stepped in front of the window. They ducked quickly as his eyes roamed the spots where they were. They could hear his growl and then the slam of the shutters. When they raised their heads, they couldn't see inside of the store.

Perci glared over at her brother. "Well, that didn't get us anywhere. Thanks, Harry." She rolled her eyes and slid off of the roof. The others followed her and soon they were back home at the Burrow.

Perci fell back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Tomorrow was the day she would return to school. How lucky was she?


	3. Chapter 3

**This is kind of a long chapter, only 6,00 something words. I just wanted to get their first few days of Hogwarts in one chapter. Enjoy this chapter. Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review!**

 **-Rooney1077**

Perci sat on her bed, maybe for the last time, staring at a moving photograph in her hands. It was her favorite. She stood with her three best friends: Fred, George, and Lee Jordan after their first quidditch win. It was an incredible feeling. They laughed and danced and celebrated, even though it was rainy and cold outside. They didn't care. They were kids. Those kids still had their whole lives ahead of them. So much had changed since then. Perci herself had become a different person. She wasn't sure if it was a good change or a bad change, though.

She ran a finger across Fred's gleaming face. Even then, he stared at her the same way he looked at her now. Had he always felt like that for her? He was happier then, though. Perci knew that. She could see it in his eyes. She made him miserable sometimes, but so did he to her. Wasn't that a downside to love? No, she couldn't think about him. Perci needed to get her mind off of Fred. But that was the problem; he was all she thought about most of the time.

Harry stood by the doorway, looking at his sister stare at that picture. He hated seeing her hurt. He walked up behind her and sat on the bed. "You know what you need?" He rhetorically asked. "A distraction." Harry finished. "You need something to take your mind off of Fred, off of everything. Quidditch, maybe? Or a new hobby?" He began to list off suggestions. Perci appreciated him trying. He was right, though. Perci smiled and turned. She hugged Harry tightly. Perci's hugs were always his favorite, that is, besides Ginny's. His expression turned sour just thinking about Ginny and her new boyfriend, Michael Corner. What the hell kind of name is Michael Corner?

Perci smiled, pulling away. "Maybe you need one, too. D'you know what else you need? A damn shower." She laughed. "You smell like shit."

Harry rolled his eyes with a small smile. "Whatever," he said. "We're leaving in a few minutes. Better get down there. Mrs. Weasley waits for no one." He headed out of the room and bounded down the staircase. Perci pulled on her jacket and gathered her trunk and books. She made her way to the doorway and stopped. She looked back at the room. Perci had a nagging feeling that she wouldn't be seeing this room for a while. She shook the feeling off and turned the lights out before walking slowly down the stairs and to the front door where everyone was waiting.

"Ron! We're leaving come on!" Arthur yelled up the stairs. Ron flew down the steps new Quidditch gear in his arms. He grinned as he stuffed them into his trunk.

"Sorry, forgot these." He gave Harry a sideways grin. "I'm trying out for the team this year." Harry nodded and followed everyone out of the house, shaking his head at Ron's subtlety. They all squeezed into the magic car and headed off to the train station.

It was extremely crowded. Perci had almost forgotten the familiar feeling of being pushed to the ground my crazy parents, but luckily she soon experienced it again. Only a few people seemed to recognize her. Maybe it was her haircut, or lack of? Or it could've been that she was two years older than she was in the picture the Ministry used for her WANTED poster. The people that did recognize her, quickly scurried off and pulled their children from her sights. Now she knows how Harry must've felt last year. Molly and Arthur said a quick goodbye, but not before Arthur pulled Perci aside.

"Take care of our family, Perci. You're the oldest. They're your responsibility now." He said. "And take care of yourself." He pulled Perci into a warm hug and sent her off to the train.

His wife came up beside him. "Everything alright, dear?" She asked.

Arthur smiled down at her and grabbed her small hand. He looked back up at the train. "Everything is going to be just fine, Molls. Come on, let's go home."

Perci had received all the same treatment from the parents in the station from the students on the train. Most of them stared at her or hurried away from her. Only the Gryffindor's welcomed her back with open arms. With them it was as if nothing had happened in the past year. Perci laid her trunk and books in her compartment with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She promised to be right back, only leaving to get a few snacks from the trolley.

Harry handed her several galleons and they all told her their orders. Perci scoffed–as if she would remember it. She was counting her money and walking down the compartment hall, probably not the best idea, but not the worst she's ever come up with. Perci bumped roughly into someone. This person was tall and had strong shoulders for she had almost fallen back. But her pusher caught her. Perci looked up into the dark eyes of Dean Thomas. He smiled down at her.

"We've got to stop meeting like this." He said, setting her right.

Perci laughed. "That was probably the most unoriginal pick up line I've ever heard. Well, besides, 'Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?'."

Dean grinned and shook his head. "Nah, not really. Scratched up my elbow a bit, but besides that..." He trailed off, noticing her raised brow and smile. He stuck out his large hand. "I'm Dean Thomas, sixth year, Gryffindor."

Perci took his small hand and shook it lightly. Perci thought back to what Harry had said. 'A distraction.' You know, Dean looked like a pretty good distraction. And what Perci meant by that, was that he was hot. Maybe Dean Thomas could be her distraction. It could also draw attention away from Fred. With each thought, Dean began to look more and more like a perfect distraction. "Perci Potter," she introduced herself. "Seventh year, Gryffindor."

"Oh, I know." Dean said. Perci's mood fell. Was he going to bring up her accusation of killing Cedric? "You're an incredible Chaser. And I was rooting for you in the Triwizard Tournament." Dean said. Perci smiled up at him. He was very tall. "So are you trying out for the team this year? I mean, I'm sure you'd make it. You're one of the best Chasers Hogwarts has seen for years. Not that I did any research on you that day we first bumped into each other." He rambled.

Perci laughed. "Not such a smooth talker now?" Dean scratched the back of his head nervously. Perci looked over at the retreating trolley and cursed. "Well, I have to get a few things from the trolley." She said and smiled one of her infamous smiled. She could almost hear Dean's heart. "Maybe, I'll see you later Dean Thomas." Perci hurried off after the trolley, not hearing Dean's final words to her.

"I, er, hope we can do this again sometime." He called.

Harry let out a breath of relief when Perci came back to the compartment with an armful of their candy. Ron pounced on it all. "What took you so long?" He said through a mouthful of chocolate frog legs.

"I was just talking to someone." Perci supplied, not giving them anymore details.

"Was that Dean Thomas?" Hermione asked with raised eyebrows.

Perci chewed innocently on a licorice wand and nodded. Harry didn't miss the small grin her face, though. He shook it off. "So what was Draco doing with that weird looking cabinet? And who were all of those people?" Perci went rigid at the mention of Draco Malfoy. No one seemed to notice, though. "If you ask me, it was a ceremony. An initiation."

Perci shook out of her funk. "An initiation into what? A sorority?" Ron snickered.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the two. "Stop it, Harry. I know where you're going with this."

Harry ignored it. "He's one of them." He said.

Ron frowned. "One of what?"

Hermione sighed and shut the book she was trying to read. "Harry is under the impression that Draco Malfoy is a Death Eater."

Ron snorted. "You're barking!"

Perci shook her head. "Maybe Harry's right. When I was at their mansion, which looks a lot like a sex torture dungeon, Draco did things to me. Voldemort also stayed at their house. So there is a big chance he could be a Death Eater. I wouldn't doubt it."

"But he's a sod! Why would Voldemort want someone like him?" Ron said. Harry, Ron, and Hermione tried not to think about what Malfoy could've done to her.

Perci nodded her head. "Yeah, he kind of is, but there are points where he was ruthless and terrifying. If Voldemort doesn't want him for that, he could do it for the money and resources the Malfoy's have." A girl interrupted their conversation.

"Hey, Ron," she greeted with a coy smile, sliding open the compartment door. She recognized the girl, Lavender Brown.

Ron turned bright pink and stuttered nervously. "Er, hi," he choked out. Lavender winked and exited the compartment.

Hermione huffed. "That wasn't rude at all."

Perci scowled at Ron. "If you're hitting that, or even thinking about it, you disgust me." Hermione shot her a small grin.

Ron frowned and crossed his arms. "What if I want to? What's so bad about that?" He asked indignantly.

Perci raised a brow. "Well, first of all, she's a blubbering idiot and she's freaky. You haven't heard the things she used to talk about in the girl's dormitory." Perci sat back and shrugged her shoulders. "But if you want to mow her nonexistent ass like grass or sprinkle a bit of ginger on her–"

Harry stood up abruptly. "Okay," he interrupted, not wanting to hear anymore of that. "I need to air." He grabbed his invisibility cloak from above him and Perci and headed out of the small, compact room. He was glad he missed the argument that went forth after he left.

He slipped down the halls of the long train. Harry looked into the booths in one of the open cars. He instantly caught a whiff of Malfoy's usual scent of arrogance and his white-blond hair. He opened his hand and checked that he still had the free Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder rock that Fred and George gave him. It glittered back at him. Harry pulled on the cloak, checking one last time to see if the coast was clear. He held his breath and prayed it worked before throwing the black rock onto the train floor. The whole compartment erupted into yells and chattering as the black smoke filled the car.

Draco glanced around at the compartment, coughing as the smoke cleared. "What was that?" He yelled. The air around them smelled of rotten eggs. The smoke left a bad taste on his tongue. "Blaze?"

Pansy Parkinson sighed and tugged on Draco's pale hand. "Relax boys, it was probably just a first year messing around. Come sit, Draco." She said soothingly. "We'll be at Hogwarts soon." Draco looked around one last time before taking his seat across from Pansy and Blaze.

"Hogwarts," the word left a sour taste in his mouth. "What a pathetic excuse for a school. Think if pitch myself off the astronomy tower before if continue for another two years." Draco said looking out the window. He scratched at the mark on his arm.

Pansy gasped. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Let's just say I don't see myself wasting anymore time sitting in Charms class next year." Draco said. Blaze snickered across from him. He scowled. "Amused, Blaze?" He glared at his 'friend'. "Let's just see who's laughing in the end." A clanking grabbed his attention. Draco lifted his head to the overhead compartments where his school bag lay. He could just see it move slightly.

For the rest of the ride, the three Slytherin's sat in silence until it was time to get off. Draco glanced back up at the overhead compartment. Pansy looked back at them as they were about to depart from the train. Draco stayed siting in his booth. "You two go on. I want to check something." Pansy nodded and said a goodbye before leaving the train and heading to the carriages.

Perci gathered her stuff, along with Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked out the compartment and down the halls. "Where's Harry?" She mused. Perci shrugged her shoulders, not knowing.

"Probably already on the platform." Ron supplied. Hermione gave them a worried look.

Perci waved her off. "He'll be fine. Let's go, I want to get a good seat." They left the train, Hermione handing the driver a flyer for S.P.E.W., which she refused to give up after all of these years. Perci gave her trunk and other bags to the staff and went to the carriages. Everyone had alway thought they were pulled by magic, but only a few knew the truth if they'd seen someone die. She grinned at the skeletal horse and tried to pet it, but cringed away from her. Perci frowned, but shook it off.

"I heard they're called Threstrals." A familiar, deep voice said from behind her. She followed the dark hand that was now petting the Threstral to its body. Dean stood behind her, as tall as ever, with a smile. He must've seen someone die to be able to see the horse like creature. Dean seemed to read her mind. "My half-brother," he answered. Perci nodded. A silence followed–not exactly awkward. Did he want her to tell him who she saw die? That would take a while. "They are beautiful creatures." He almost sounded enchanted. "I would love to paint one of them."

Perci raised an eyebrow. "You do art stuff?" That sounded so stupid, Perci thought, mentally cursing herself.

Dean laughed, a husky laugh. It sent shivers down Perci's spine. "Yeah, I, er, 'do art stuff'. I like to draw and paint beautiful things. Maybe someday you may let me paint you." He said.

He definitely knew his way around the lines. Perci gave him a small smile. "Maybe," she was about to continue when she heard Ron call her name. Perci looked back. Their carriage was ready. She sighed and looked back up at Dean. "I'll see you later, Dean." She left him, but not before making sure she slid her small hand over his large one that still rested on the horse. Perci hurried over to Ron and Hermione and took her seat.

Ron glanced over at Dean, who stood in the same spot, and scowled. His mind immediately went to Fred and what he would think or feel seeing that exchange. Nothing too much happened, but Ron could see it. "What was that?" He asked as the carriage sped into motion. He not only was watching out for Fred, but also for Perci. Dean was great, but he wasn't good enough for his sister figure.

Perci shrugged, but the smile never left her face. "Just talking," she murmured. Ron raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. Perci looked around. "Where is Harry?" She changed the topic quickly. She tapped her foot nervously. She was a little apprehensive about finally going back to school and about starting her new job as a professor's assistant for Snape in Potion's class. Potions class was her specialty.

"We're not sure," Hermione also seemed worried, more worried that Ron. All he did was glade back at Dean as e got on the same carriage as Ginny and her boyfriend Michael Corner. His stomach lurched just thinking about Ginny and Michael together. They finally made it inside the castle after several minutes of riding in silence. They pushed through groups of hugging and laughing friends, making it to the Gryffindor house table. It seemed the same as it was two years ago, which was the last time she had been in the Great Hall.

They went through the usual sorting in mere minutes. There weren't many new first years. Apparently their parents didn't think it was safe for them at school. Hermione wouldn't eat anything when the feast appeared. She just sat by Ron and glared menacingly at him as he gobbled down many loads of food. Perci only nibbled a bit on a chicken wing, looking back at the entry doors to see if Harry would soon join them. She was beginning to get nervous. Where was he?

Moments later he and Luna Lovegood pushed through the doors, ignoring the looks they received from everyone. Perci let out a sigh of relief and scooted over so Harry could sit by Ginny. Harry's nose was bleeding profusely. She grinned. "Well, Harry, you look less shittier than normal. Congratulations." She gave him a small round of applause. Harry rolled his eyes and continued to soak up the bright red blood from his nose.

"What did I miss?" He asked.

Ron swallowed his mouthful of jello. "Only the sorting and dinners is almost done."

"Thought about saving you done for if you didn't show, but Ron and I would probably just eat it while we went up to the dorms. So it's a good thing you made it." Perci patted him on the back and turned her attention toward the Headmaster as he was beginning to speak.

"Very best of evenings to you all." Everyone stopped talking and eating for a moment. "First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff, Professor Horace Slughorn." The Great Hall politely applauded new professor. "Professor Slughorn will be resuming at his old post as Potions Master." Perci stopped clapping and glanced over at Snape. She shot him a look, but he ignored her.

Harry gave her a confused look. "What?"

"I'm supposed to be working with Snape as his assistant for Potions class." She said. What was Snape going to teach? Would she stay his assistant or become Slughorn's? She hoped not the latter. Slughorn didn't like her.

"Meanwhile, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be taken by Professor Snape." Dumbledore continued. Harry scowled at this notion. "Each and everyone of you was searched upon your arrival at the castle tonight. And you have the right to know why. Once there was a young man," Perci sighed, he was going to tell them a very long story. Might as well get comfortable. "Who like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, stepped under its roof, seemed to all the world a students like any other. His name...Tom Riddle." The Great Hall broke out into whispers and chatter they all knew that name. "Today, of course, he's known all over the world by another name. Which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a certain fact. Every day, every hour, this very minute dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's halls. In the end, their greatest weapon is you. Just something to think about. Now, off to bed!"

Ron cleared his throughly as the Gryffindor students went up to their dormitories. "That was cheerful," he muttered.

Perci nodded, her eyes locked on someone. "Yeah, probably took him half the summer to come up with that. Quality spokesman-ship, though." She snickered. Perci told the other a quick goodbye, saying that she needed to find someone. Ron, thinking it was Dean, gave her a look. Perci just rolled her eyes and pushed through the crowd to the dungeons where Snape practically lived. She didn't even knock.

"Snape? What the hell?" She slammed the palm of her hands on his desk. Snape's black eyes bore into hers.

"Yes, Perciana?" His monotonous voice hadn't changed.

"I thought I was going to be your P.A. for Potions. I mean I'm not bad at Defense Against the Dark Arts, but I'm not sure I could really help." Perci said.

Snape continued to gather his personal belongings from his desk. "You will still be the P.A. for Potions. Just under Professor Slughorn."

Perci's eyes widened. "Dude, no." Snape narrowed his eyes at 'dude'. "He hates me. He thinks I killed Cedric Diggory and that I work for Voldemort by association with Sirius. He'll make my life hell."

"You've dealt with worse." Snape mused. Perci groaned and pouted. "Stop acting like a child. Just see how it is and if you don't like it then drop it. You don't even need to take another Potion's class. You're far more advanced than most of the students in your grade." He muttered. Perci raised a brow. Did he just complement me, Perci thought.

Snape seemed to catch what he had let slip. He rolled his eyes. "Here's your schedule. Now, get out." He pushed her out of his office with a wave of his wand and slammed the doors shut. Perci sighed and made her way to her dormitory, ignoring everything and everyone. As soon as her head hit her pillow, she was out cold.

Perci had to wake up early that morning. She was Slughorn's professor's assistant for first, third, and fifth periods. For her even numbered periods she had Alchemy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Transfiguration. At least she didn't have to take Herbology; she hated that class. Perci pulled on her fitted Gryffindor robes and grabbed her wand and class list. She headed out of the dormitory and to the kitchen. They wouldn't be serving breakfast this early, so she snatched an apple and muffin.

Perci took her time walking to the Potions class. She wasn't looking forward to being with Slughorn. She knew he hadn't really taken a liking to her when they first met. Perci prayed to all the gods that he wouldn't put her through hell. Perci pushed open the dungeon door and sat her stuff on her desk right next to Slughorn's.

"Ah, Ms. Potter, you're quite early." Slughorn came out of his office carrying a few cauldrons. They began to tumble. Perci rushed over and caught them just before they hit the ground. "Nice hands," Slughorn said. Perci mustered a smile and say the cauldrons on the front table. "You must be on the Quidditch team, yes?"

Perci was not a fan of small talk, but she nodded. "Yeah, Chaser." Slughorn nodded and pulled out a piece of parchment.

"Er, I must finish getting the room ready. Will you whip up these brews?" He asked handing the parchment to her. Perci nodded taking the list. She began getting the ingredients for Amortentia. She had memorized the ingredients and ways to brew over a hundred potions. It took her years to do so, but she enjoyed the hobby. It was one of her favorite things to do. She wasn't sure why, but on of her dreams were to come back and teach the Potions class.

Perci finally finished the Amortentia brew. And wave hit her when she got to close to it. The scent had changed since the last time she was near the love potion. She breathed it the sent of fireworks, ash, cinnamon, and an old box of crayons. She remembered what Snape had said the last time he caught her sniffing the very same potion. Perci pulled herself away from the cauldron and continued to brew the other potions listed.

It was not long before the first few students showed up. She would have this class with many sixth and advanced fifth years. Hermione gave her a grin when she saw her.

"What're you doing here?" She asked, setting her books down on a table.

"I'm the new professor's assistant. I've been here since bloody 5:15." Perci groaned. Hermione took out a napkin and handed it to Perci. Perci raised a brow and unfolded it. The incredible scent of bacon filled her nose. Perci's eyes widened as she took a bite of the bacon. She moaned at the lovely taste her mouth. She grabbed Hermione and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Gods, thank you. You have no idea how long it's been since I've had bacon. I could actually kiss you right now," Perci laughed. "But I know a certain ginger that would be overcome with jealousy." Perci wiggled her eyebrows.

Hermione blushed but ignored it. "I figured you might want a snack since you weren't at breakfast. Also, Dean Thomas was looking for you." Perci grinned. "What's going on with you two."

Perci shrugged, taking another bite of her bacon. "Nothing, just someone I keep bumping into." Slughorn called her over. Perci said goodbye to Hermione and internally groaned as she headed over to him. "Yes, sir?" She asked through gritted teeth.

Slughorn handed her a book. "I would like you to go around helping and observing the students today. Can you handle that?"

Perci narrowed her eyes. "Well, considering I'm not ten years old, I can." She said through a fake smile and gritted teeth. Slughorn nodded as the bell rang. Perci turned around. All of the class was there–surprising. She caught a glimpse of a poofy black Afro sitting atop a very tall darker skinned boy with a grin. Dean. How lucky was she?

"Ah, welcome to Potions class 6, sixth years. I appreciate all of you being on time. I am Professor Horace Slughorn, I will be your Potions Master indefinitely." Slughorn greeted heartily. Many of the Gryffindor students grinned, happy to finally be free of Snape. Slughorn motioned to Perci. "This is Ms. Potter. If any of you request help, she will be there to guide you." Perci sighed and sat in her chair after giving them a fake smile. "Well, let's get started, shall we?"

Perci didn't listen at all to whatever Slughorn was saying. She just sat at her small desk, staring into space, thinking. Nothing really ever went well when she used her brain. Slughorn's voice and every other noise seemed to fade away. Perci saw something move out of the corner of her eye. She frowned and turned trying to find the object. Her heart thudded in her chest when she made eye contact with it. Her hands shook and she began to sweat.

The glassy eyes of the man she killed, Edgar Roy, stared back at her. He grinned maliciously and began to weave his way around the desks until he got to her. He laughed, seeing her frightened look. Edgar stretched out his hand and dropped something on her desk. Perci tried to scoot away, but she was glued to her seat. All she could do was stare as Edgar's face shone bright as a green light illuminated him. The light finally hit him, and he was thrown back. His body hit the ground with a loud thud, his eyes still opened with a fading twinkle in them. Perci wanted to scream, but nothing came out. Her hands moved involuntarily to the crumpled piece of paper and unfolded it. Edgar, his children, and his wife moved in the picture, laughing and hugging. Perci wanted to vomit. She wanted to scream and cry.

"Ms. Potter, will you bring over the Amortentia cauldron?" Slughorn's voice broke her out of her head. She nodded numbly, the picture no longer in her hands or on her desk, and went over to retrieve the potion. Grabbing the cauldron, she quickly brought it to the Potions Master, checking the floor for Edgar Roy's body. He was nowhere to be seen. Slughorn nodded a small thank you and beckoned the students out of their seats.

The dungeon door swung open, grabbing everyone's attention. Slughorn turned, ready to chew out whomever interrupted his class, but when he saw Harry and another boy, a grin spread across his old face. "Harry, m'boy. I was beginning to worry." His eyes found the companion Harry brought. "Brought someone with you, I see."

Ron stoked forward with a dopey smile. "Ron Weasley, sir. But in dead awful at Potions. A menace, actually so, I'm jus going to–"

Slughorn waved him off. "Nonsense, we'll sort you out. Any friend of Harry's is a friend of mine." He offered the nervous red head a smile. "Get your books out." And motioned to join the class. Hermione have them a slight wave to come over by her.

Harry turned slightly pink. "I'm sorry, sir, I haven't gotten my books yet nor had Ron."

Slughorn's smile didn't waver. "Not to worry. Grab what you want from the cupboard." He motioned to the back of the classroom before turning back to the class. "Now, as I was saying, Ms. Potter has prepared some concoctions for you this morning." He waved his hands above the cauldrons. "Any idea to what these might be?"

Hermione's hand instantly shot up, as eager as she had been her first Potions class. She only hoped, this time, she would be called on. Slughorn nodded and pointed at her. "Yes, Ms..."

"Granger, sir," Hermione finished for him. She pointed to the first cauldron. "That one there is Veritaserum, a truth-telling serum." Hermione frowned at the next one. "And that one is..."

"It's terrible tricky to make–" Perci raised an eyebrow at that. "Amortentia." Slughorn said.

"The most powerful love potion in the world. It's rumored to smell differently to each person according to what they are attracted to." With each sentence Hermione got closer to the potion. For example, I smell...freshly mown grass, new parchment," Hermione gulped and turned red. "and spearmint toothpaste." She blinked out a daze and stepped back to her original spot with her face red and timid.

"Now, Anortentia doesn't create crush love, not that is impossibe, but it does cause powerful infatuation and obsession." Every word Slughorn spoke, the front row girls; Lavender, Pansy, Katie, and Ramilda, stepped closer to the love potion with greedy looks on their faces. Perci even noticed Ramilda Vane sending Harry a few wanting looks. "And for that reason, it is probably the most dangerous potion in this room." Slughorn gently put the lid back onto the cauldron and the girl stepped back with embarrassed looks.

Katie cleared her throat. "Sir, you haven't told us what's in that one," she nodded over at a third cauldron on the front table.

Slughorn nodded, now remembering. He shuffled over to the last cauldron. "Oh, yes. What you see before you, ladies and gentlemen, is a curious little potion, Felix Felicis. It is more commonly known as–"

Hermione interrupted him. "Liquid Luck," she piped in.

Slughorn nodded with a smile, seeming to not notice that she rudely interrupted him. "Yes, Ms. Granger, Liquid Luck. Desperately tricky to make, disastrous should you get it wrong." Perci shivered, remembering the first time she attempted that potion. It took her weeks to fully grow back her eyebrows. "One sip, you will find that all of your endeavors succeed." Slughorn chuckled. "That is, until the effects wear off."

He closed the cauldron and stepped in front of the table. "So, this is what I offer you today. One tiny vial of Liquid Luck to the student who manages, in the remaining hour, to brew an acceptable Draught of Living Dead. Recipes for which can be found on page ten of your books. If you need assistance, Ms. Potter is happy to help, isn't that right?" He looked over at Perci with a raised brow. Perci tried to conjure up a fake smile, but it turned out to be a grimace. "Good luck to you all. Let the brewing commence!"

Each and every student hurried off, pushing past each other to get a good desk. One girl was even trampled. Perci was pleased to see that it was Lavender Brown. She stifled her laughter and watched as she cursed getting up. The rest of the classroom was completely chaotic. Students pushed each other's cauldrons off the table, tore each others book pages out, and cursed at each other.

Different colored smoke flew about the room as they followed the directions in their books. Perci went around the room observing the class and occasionally helping. Her eyes eventually caught Malfoy's. He had been watching her, just as he did when Bellatrix tortured her. Anger bubbled in her stomach. She clenched her fists, making her way over to him. Her eyes burned a bright orange, yellow, and red; her irises swirled, showing her rage.

However, a voice caught her attention. She turned around, her eyes still glowing. She stopped abruptly seeing the slightly glowing body of Fred. He looked down at her with a grin, his hands in his pockets. Perci glanced around, confused. Fred stepped closer to her, bringing his hands out of his pockets. He towered over her, now. Fred placed a large, gentle hand on her cheek. Perci could feel her anger slightly fade and her eyes sizzle out.

"It's okay," his voice was distant, far away. "Ms. Potter?" Fred said, although his voice didn't sound like him. Fred began to fade; Perci reached out for his hand but he was already gone.

"Ms. Potter?" The same voice said again, but this time not in Fred's body. Dean stood patiently at his delaying calling for her. Her little distraction had a big job ahead of him. Perci couldn't stop thinking about Fred, as her hallucination showed her. Perci painted on a smile and headed toward Dean. "Will you help me? I can't seem to cut this sophophourus bean."

Perci nodded. "Show me what you're doing." She said walking slightly behind him, but off to his side. Dean picked up his knife and tried slicing at the bean. It wobbled out of his reach. Perci shook her head and laid her hand on his that held the knife. "No, no, crush it with the flat of the blade." She turned the knife on its side, still in his hand. She placed both hands on his and brought the knife over the sophophourus bean. She pushed down, the bean now crushing. Its juices began to leak out at the seams of the bean. Dean grinned down at her, and squeezed the juices over his cauldron.

"Thanks, Per–" He paused and turned toward her, leaning his back against his desk. "Or should I call you Ms. Potter?" His flirtatious smile would've fazed any other girl, but Perci didn't feel anything. She could only imagine Fred staring at her, hurt. She shook it off and smirked up at Dean. Perci stepped closer to him and stared into his deep brown eyes. They were nothing like Fred's, though.

"Since I am your teacher, I think it would be inappropriate to call me anything else." Her eyebrow raised and her crooked grin enchanted Dean. He could feel himself getting flustered.

Ron and Harry watched the scene from a distance with dark, angered eyes. Ron could only think of what Fred would do or think. Harry wanted to brutally murder Dean for even looking at his sister, and the thoughts he must've been thinking. Harry flared his nostrils and tried to focus on finishing his potion, but he could help it when he called for his sister to come help him. He wanted her to get out of that situation.

Perci sighed and made her way over to Harry. He didn't look up from his mysteriously altered book. "What're you doing?" Harry asked.

Perci sat in the stool across from him. "You said to get a distraction. I'm just working on it."

Harry frowned and looked at her. "When I said 'distraction', I meant like a hobby or a book or something. Not a person." He whisper-yelled, leaning toward her.

"A hobby or a book is not going to distract me from him." Perci said. She got up from her seat. Perci scowled and threw the sloth brain at him and strolled off from Harry, Ron, and a frazzled Hermione.

An hour later, Slughorn visited each desk and tested each potion. None of them, however, were executed perfectly. That is, until he got to Harry. "Merlin's beard!" He exclaimed after watching the lead he dropped in Harry's cauldron sizzle and disintegrate. "I dare say it's perfect! So perfect one drop just might kill us all."

Slughorn brought his prized student to the front of the room and made all of the other students gather around them. He took out a minute vial of Liquid Luck, and put an arm around him. "Here we are then, as promised. One vial of Felix Felicis. Congratulations. Use it well." He ordered. The bell rang above them. Everyone gathered their books and hurried out of the room. Perci told Ron, Harry, and Hermione to go on without her.

She grabbed her things from her desk, and started toward the door, but Slughorn stopped her. "It seems that I might have misjudged you, Ms. Potter." He sighed. Perci turned to face him with an eyebrow raised and her arms crossed.

"Oh, really?" She asked sarcastically, leaning against one of the desks. Slughorn placed his bifocals on his desk. He wanted to say something else, but wasn't sure what he should say. "Well, I'm not looking for an apology. I'm just going to get through this year without any drama." Without another word she left the professor.

Oh, how she should've knocked on wood.


	4. Chapter 4

**I do not own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.**

 **-Rooney1077**

Perci had visited Edgar Roy's family over the summer. She couldn't help it; the guilt was overwhelming. She needed some kind of closure. And she thought seeing the family of the man she killed doing well might help.

His murder was covered up, and seemingly didn't matter since he worked for Lord Voldemort. It didn't appear in the Prophet. No one talked about it. His family were the only ones who cared. Perci found out where they lived with the help of Andrew and Leo's skills put together. Andrew wanted to come with her for support, but Perci knew she needed to do it alone. She also didn't want Andrew to see her possibly break down. She was still the leader of Camp Half-Blood–she didn't need anyone to see their leader weak.

Perci, dressed in winter robes, knocked on the Roy family's front door with a shaky breath. After a moment a little boy with light brown hair and blue eyes opened the door, with an innocent smile. His eyes flashed, confusion dancing in them. "Momma! Some lady is here," he called.

Perci's heart thudded in her chest, waiting for Roy's wife to come to the door. Perci glanced around. Maybe she could get out before the woman saw her. She had no idea what she was going to do, what she was going to say. The boy looked exactly like his father. She couldn't take her eyes off of him. He haunted Perci. The boy turned around, and went to find his mother. Perci looked around, and spotted a picture of the family. They all looked so happy. Perci tore that happiness away from them. She could hear the light footfalls of who, Perci assumed, to be the wife. Perci caught one glimpse of her face, and erupted into flames before flying away from the small house.

She felt like a coward. She wasn't sure what had come over her. Perci couldn't go back, though. Seeing those two made the guilt grow. What if that had been her? What if it were her son that was left fatherless? What if it were her, a widow, that now had to solely provide for her family? Her husband, the love of her life, gone, not waking up to his side every morning? Perci couldn't imagine the pain she had caused them. Though, Perci could imagine the pain Edgar Roy had caused many families. That was one of the only things that kept her sane.

Perci had killed people before. In the Titan War she had killed many demigods that had sided with Luke and Kronos. She also practically killed Luke, handing him the knife that would end his life. However, this death felt different. Guilt consumed her.

Chiron hadn't allowed her to leave the camp for a whole month. He offered to help her, and help he did. Andrew had spent a lot of time with her. He was a very good distraction from everything. Perci could not call him from Hogwarts to ask him to come over, though. She needed a new distraction, but she didn't want one. There was only one person she wanted and she couldn't have him. It made her miserable.

Weeks went by, all the same as the first few days. Perci continued to help Slughorn teach the Potions class. She was glad she got an opportunity like that. Dean continued to "bump into her". They talked a lot. He liked to draw her, even the little things. Perci enjoyed being able to just sit and listen to him talk as he drew her. He was able to take her mind of some things. Dean was quite the artist. Perci also continued to see Edgar Roy, in her imagination and nightmares. At times she would awake in a cold sweat in the middle of the night, screaming. Roy followed her everywhere. It was beginning to drive her insane. She hadn't told anyone. She thought about Iris messaging Chiron. She, every so often, thought about sending Sirius an owl, but then she remembered what happened, and feels a small pang in her heart.

Perci's favorite time of the year was fast approaching– Quidditch season. The magical sport was the only thing she had been looking forward to. Just thinking about it got her through the dreadful school day and copious piles of homework, that she only attempted and then begged Hermione do help her.

Perci soon found out that Dean was going to try out for the Quidditch team, too, the next day. Although she was excited and ready for tryouts, her nerves often got the best of her. Perci couldn't remember the last time she touched a quaffle, let alone threw one into a goal. She definitely improved her flying skills, while flying through the skies of England, Scotland, the States, and many other incredible lands. That's where she was now–in the locker room, changing into her old, worn out Quidditch gear. As she strapped on her knee and elbow pads, she glanced around at the smelly locker room. Everyone was bounding around in excitement. Perci was sure the chatter and yelling could be heard from the astronomy tower. She loved it.

Her shelf had stayed the same as it was from all those years ago. It was untouched, as was her uniform and broom. Perci's old Twigger 90 broomstick laid on top of her shelf, a thin layer of dust on it. Perci grabbed it, wiping the dust and grime off of it, gently. The old wood and smell of the branches intoxicated her. Perci could just remember the last time she rode that broom. She appreciated that no one touched her equipment. Perci always used to freak out when someone touched her gear, and would often threaten the boys that she would sneak into their dorm and tear their balls off. Needless to say, it worked like a charm. Perci had wanted to keep it all in tip top shape, for she wanted to play for England's National team, and didn't need anyone messing up her only broom. It had taken her 3 years to save up for it. Things were so simple back then.

Perci stepped out of the locker room, the cold, moist wind nipping at her skin. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. There had been many days like this one since everyone found out about Voldemort's return. It seemed as though the sky reflected everyone's mood, dark and gloomy. As soon as Perci stepped foot into the pitch a wave of emotions hit her like a ton of bricks. She remembered the excitement she felt before a match, the fear that Zeus was going to strike her out of the sky, the freedom she felt as she sore through the air, and the pride when her team won. Life was better all those years ago.

Perci nervously fingered the number 4 patch on her Quidditch robes, and began toward the large, rambunctious group of people in the middle of the pitch. She joined an irritable Harry and Ginny as they spoke to each other quietly. Harry caught sight of her, and raised an eyebrow. He turned toward her and crossed his arms. "You're late, we've been waiting 15 minutes for you," he informed.

Perci grinned, and rolled her eyes. "Calm your tits, Potter. A queen is never late. Everyone is simply early." Ginny snorted at 'queen', immediately earning a playful glare. Harry shook his head; taking off his glasses, he rubbed his eyes.

Harry looked at the crowd of people, groaning. He was the captain this year, so the pressure to find a great team, one who'd win Gryffindor the Cup, and would live up to past teams, was great. Harry cleared his throat softly. "Er, this morning I'm gonna be putting you all through a few drills just to assess your skills." No one paid attention to him, except for Ron, who stood like a statue away from the group, his eyes wide with barely hidden fear. He was extremely pale, and kind of green. Perci could hear his heart beat quickly with her newly enhanced hearing from her training with Chiron. She stifled a laugh at the poor, scared ginger boy's face. "Quiet, please!" Harry tried to call over the noise.

Ginny sighed at Harry's pitiful attempt. "Shut it!" She yelled, finally grabbing everyone's attention.

Harry flushed slightly and nodded a thanks to her. "Alright, er, now then. Just because you made the team last year, does not guarantee you a spot this year. Is that clear?" Harry asked. Everyone just stared at him, not saying anything. It was clear they didn't quite respect the Chosen One. "Good," Harry mumbled, hiding his irritation.

The drills were easy for Perci, but hard for many others; she had greatly improved her flying skills over the past few years. Harry had set up levitating cones, and each player had to fly through the cones, and not hit them; though, the cones constantly moved as each wizard or witch flew through them. Harry flew to the side, taking note of each player's skills and faults.

Percy had gone through each set of cones at least 5 times before taking a break off to the side. She watched everyone struggle to get through the drill. Ginny and McLaggen seemed to be the better flyers out of everyone that tried out. Ron struggled through many drills throughout the tryout, it was only a little pitiful. Harry stopped them all after an hour and thirty minutes, telling them to go get a drink and rest for a few minutes. Perci and the other players all went back to the locker room to rest, which to many meant more horse play. Perci had the strong urge to bash their heads in, but promised herself she would revisit the topic later.

Perci sat next to Ron, trying to console him after his hard time during the drills. "It's okay. They're just field drills for field players," she said. "You're trying out for keeper. The scrimmage is when you need to bring it." Ron groaned, but nodded, and began to tell her about the keeper position. He then looked up, groaning once again before quickly leaving. Perci frowned, and glanced where Ron had looked. Dean towered above her, sweaty from all the hard work. His smile never wavered.

Dean plopped down next to her with a small smile. She couldn't help but notice the number Dean was wearing, number 5. Perci felt a jolt go through her. That had always been Fred's number. Dean was wearing his old uniform. Perci even noticed the sew work she had to do in their fourth year after a game against Slytherin where one of their beaters had hit Fred in the chest so hard, he had torn his uniform in half. Perci had spent hours sewing the uniform back together with Fred above her, correcting everything she did. She was surprised Fred and George hadn't stolen their uniforms and taken it with them after their expulsion from Hogwarts.

Dean was very close to her. "You were great out there," he complimented, his voice low and soft. "How did you learn to fly like that?" He broke the touch barrier, lightly setting his hand on her knee.

Perci plastered on a smile, and tried to ignore the hand on her knee and her quickening heartbeat. "Thanks, I've been practicing," she informed.

Dean frowned, confused. "How could you have practiced? I thought you were–"

Perci tensed, gritting her teeth. "On the run?" Dean nodded. She shrugged her shoulders. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve." Dean raised an eyebrow and motioned down at her short sleeved uniform shirt. Perci flushed, stammering, "If I were wearing sleeves," she trailed off. Perci looked up, slightly embarrassed at her not so smooth talking, and noticed Dean staring at her face–no, her lips.

He began to lean in, his hand moving up. Just as he was about to kiss her, Dean moved slightly to the side, his lips on her ear. "Meet me in the Room of Requirement tonight. I want to show you something." His hand rested on her thigh. Perci's heart thudded loudly. She could feel her finger nails grow into talons; they dig into the palms of her hand, warm blood slowly dripping through the cracks between her fingers. Her eyes were slightly lidded, but her glowing orange irises were still visible. Her heart beated faster. Dean pulled away, and left with the rest of the Gryffindors back to the pitch. It took her a few minutes to regain her bearings before she headed out to the pitch. Harry and the rest or the players were huddled in a circle.

"Okay, for the rest of the tryout we will be scrimmaging. Ron, you're the first captain. McLaggen, second captain. Choose your team, and get in the air," Harry ordered, finally regaining his confidence.

Ron and McLaggen quickly picked their teams, Ginny and Perci being on opposite teams with Dean on Perci's team. They all mounted their brooms after figuring out who was playing what. Harry released the quaffle and the other balls and the game begun. With both Dean and Perci as chasers on McLaggen's team Ron had a hard time blocking their shots. McLaggen's team ended up losing 20-10 before a 5th year kid finally caught the snitch for Ron's team after at least an hour. Harry then gave an annoying long speech in which Perci thought she was going to pass out from boredom. He eventually let them head back to the locker room. Everyone bounded with excitement, talking about the scrimmage and how they did, though Perci didn't. She couldn't focus on anything but what Dean had told her before. Meet him in the Room of Requirement. He wanted to show her something. A few thoughts ran through her head as she changed out of her clothes and into her Gryffindor robes, thoughts that would make Molly and Arthur Weasley and her parents (if they were alive) surely cringe. Though, that's probably not the only thing that would make them cringe. Her plan would make them cringe, and all the other things she's done would definitely make them cringe. Perci wasn't proud of the woman she was turning into, and she was sure her parents wouldn't be either.

She stuffed her quidditch robes into her locker, grabbed her books and wand and headed out of the locker. Perci walked back up to the castle avoiding eye contact with everyone and anyone. Her tan skin grew hot and slightly gold. If anyone noticed they surely didn't say anything. In mere minutes she was in the dormitory. Perci threw her bag on the ground by her bed and practically ran to the laboratory. She threw a bit of water on her burning face, hoping that might help. As soon as the water touched her face, it turned into steam. Perci didn't understand what was happening to her. She didn't know what to do. She looked to the side, seeing her nails morph into talons. She gripped the sink hard, cracking it slightly. Perci was sweating by now and was about to find her minor when she heard a sound behind her.

Perci looked up into the steamy mirror, her orange eyes glowing, and glanced to the right. Her heart quickened its pace. Edgar Roy was glaring right at her. Perci squeezed her eyes shut, hoping by the time she looked again, Edgar Roy wouldn't be there. She opened her eyes and glanced to the right. Suddenly a green light enveloped Roy and his body fell to the ground.

'What's wrong with me?' She thought.

A cackle filled the silent room, a cackle that she would never forget for as long as she lived. Perci turned around slowly, seeing Bellatrix Lestrange kneeling by Edgar Roy's stiff body. She poked his grey cheek and grinned. Bellatrix looked up.

"Oh, darling, you killed him good," she purred, moving towards her. Perci grit her teeth and turned back to the sink.

"Wake up," she told herself. "Wake up, wake up." Her heart pounded in her chest. Her skin grew hot again.

Bellatrix giggled. "You aren't sleeping, lover. This is real." Bellatrix snaked her arms around Perci's waist holding her to her chest, not flinching at her burning gold skin. Perci growled and quickly turned, grabbing the death eater by the throat, her talons digging into her throat. Perci growled at her and lit her hand on fire, about to burn the bitch's face off, but the woman disappeared from her hand and so hit Edgar Roy's body. She was alone in the laboratory, her hand still on fire.

Perci fell to her knees and crawled to a toilet. She threw up the little bit of food she had at lunch. Perci pulled herself to her feet, hearing laughing and footsteps approaching. She moved out of the laboratory and back to her bed. She was changing out of her sweaty robes when Hermione and Ginny walked in.

Hermione plopped onto Perci's bed. "How was Quidditch? Does it feel good to be back?" Perci pulled on a new pair of underwear and a bra before turning back to the girls.

"It was alright. Still things I need to work on, but it felt good–normal." Perci replied.

Ginny raised a brow. "You kicked arse! Our team this year is gonna be great. We're gonna win the cup." She nudged Perci. The green eyed girl grimaced and nodded.

Hermione noticed unfortunately. "What's wrong with you?" She asked bluntly. The witch had noticed a huge change in Perci's personality. She could sort of understand with everything that's happened to her, but something seemed off from her usual off-ness.

Perci shrugged, "yeah I'm good. I'm actually just gonna go see Slughorn." Hermione raised her eyebrows. "He needed my help." With that Perci left the room and hurried down the dormitory steps and into the common room, hoping not to bump into Dean. Perci sped down the halls, looking out for the person she was searching for, one of the only teachers besides Snape she trusted. Perci knocked on McGonagall's office. She heard a strong 'enter' and opened the door. Minerva McGonagall looked up, her face stone hard, but turning soft seeing Perci. A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Perciana, how are you?" She asked, putting her quill down. She noticed Perci's frazzled look and got up, motioning for her to sit at the chair in front of her desk. "What's wrong?"

Perci hesitated. She wanted to talk to someone about everything: the man she killed, everything that happened in the Manor, her Phoenix side. She wasn't sure where to start. "Did you ever see things when you first became an animagus?"

Professor McGonagall frowned and sat beside her. "No, I did not. But then again, I didn't become one illegally. What are you seeing?"

"Bellatrix Lestrange. And..." she paused, taking a deep breath. Not many people know what she did at the Ministry of Magic a few months ago. "And the man I killed, Edgar Roy, a death eater." McGonagall didn't even flinch at her confession. She took a shaky breath took off her hat.

"Have you told Professor Snape about this?" Perci shook her head. "The people you are seeing- can they touch you? Can you touch them?"

Perci frowned, but nodded. McGonagall grew pale. She went back to her desk and sat down carefully. The old witch took a deep breath and looked to Perci. "We must get Professor Snape. He is more...qualified, per say, in this area. This stays between us and Snape." Perci's confused look deepened. She had no idea what was going on, but she nodded. "Wait here while I find him." With that McGonagall was gone, her green robes flapping behind her. It was only a few minutes before McGonagall appeared again with Snape.

"Tell him, Perciana," McGonagall told her. Snape frowned, looking down at the girl. Perci sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly; she was exhausted.

"I've been seeing Bellatrix and Edgar Roy," Perci stated bluntly. Snape's facade did not change. He had had few interactions with Roy. He never really cared for the death eater. Though the situation did peak his interest.

"You may just be mad, did you ever think of that?" He 'joked' monotonously. Perci scowled and was about to give him an ear full, but McGonagall interrupted.

"They can touch her, Severus," she said softly turning to him, "she can touch them." Then it dawned on Snape what the old witch was getting at. The ex-Potion's Master stiffened, his heart racing. He would rather this happen to anyone but Perci, and well, Lily.

"I have an inkling of what may be happening, though I cannot be sure. I must look into this." Snape turned to leave. He needed to get out of there, talk to Dumbledore.

Perci frowned. "Wait! Snape, I'm having..." Snape turned slowly, waiting. "I'm having control issues." Perci turned slightly pink.

"Remember what I told you all those months ago. Remember the books I made you read." Was all he said before he walked out the door.

Perci turned to McGonagall with an irritable look on her face. "Well, that was a waste of time."

It was late by the time Perci made it back to the Gryffindor common room, though the entire room was buzzing. It seemed as though everyone was there. Lee Jordan waved her over, standing over two people playing chess. Perci nodded before motioning that she'd be over in a minute. She accidentally caught Dean's eye. Perci groaned, remembering that she was supposed to meet Dean in the Room of Requirement hours ago. Dean grit his teeth and went back to doing his paper, not giving her a second look. Perci sighed, making her way over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She took a seat by Ron in the couch, groaning loudly. Hermione gave Perci a sympathetic smile and patted her on the knee.

"Good job today, Ron," Perci complimented, nudging the ginger.

Ron grinned confidently and nodded. "Thanks, mate," he chuckled. Perci rolled her eyes. "But I have to admit, I thought I was gonna miss that last one. Hope Cormac's not taking it too hard," he added. Ron nudged Hermione's arm with his shoe, getting an irritated grunt in return. "He's got a bit of a thing for you, Hermione. Cormac." Perci widened her eyes, and glanced down at Hermione seeing her cheeks turn red. She looked back to Ron and gave him a slight shake of her head. Ron had to know that Hermione had a crush on him.

Hermione grit her teeth and looked up from her newspaper. "He's vile." Was all she said on the matter. Perci looked over at Harry, who had been considerably quiet since she arrived. He usually loved talking about Quidditch. However, the boy was too preoccupied with his little spell book to know what was going on.

Harry suddenly shifted towards her, brandishing his book. "Have you ever heard of this spell? Sectumsempra?"

Perci squinted at the page, shaking her head. "No, sounds dumb, though." Harry rolled his eyes, going back to reading his book.

Hermione slammed her paper in her lap. "If you had a shred of self-respect, you'd hand that book in," she said angrily.

"Not bloody likely. He's top of the class. Even better than you, Hermione." Ron piped up. Perci stared at him. How stupid did he have to be? She rubbed her eyes, tiredly.

Hermione glanced over at Harry, ignoring Ron completely. "I'd like to know whose that book was. Let's have a look." She moved to take the book from Harry's hands, but the boy coiled back, hugging it to his chest.

Harry got up, backing away from her. "No." Perci rose an eyebrow. Did he dare cross Hermione?

The witch out her hands on her hips. "Why not?"

Harry began petting the small book. "The binding is fragile," he said uncertainly. Hermione laughed, repeating him, before lunging toward him, Harry backing away quickly.

Perci rolled her eyes and took out her wand. "Accio," she said, pointing her wand at the book. In a second, it flew out of Harry's hands to her. Harry gave her an annoyed look as she opened it roughly to the first page. "Half-Blood Prince?" She muttered. A odd feeling washed over her as she remembered back to her Camp Half-Blood days. The witch shook her head-that didn't make sense.

"Well, what does it say?" Hermione asked impatiently.

Perci shifted, throwing the book. "'This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince'." Hermione frowned looking at the page. Harry snatched the book from her hands, taking Perci's spot on the couch. "You know, Harry, having cheat codes in that book for potion making isn't going to make you better. You aren't going to have that for the exam, I'll make sure of it." Before Harry could say anything else, Perci was already standing by Lee Jordan, joking about who knows what.

It was a week before she heard anything from Snape. It was definitely a hard week. For some reason, Perci was missing Fred more than ever. She almost wrote to him, but thought it better not to. She couldn't have it intercepted by death eaters. Dean ignored her ever since she blew him off. He wouldn't even speak to her in Potions. Perci continued to see Edgar Roy and occasionally Bellatrix. She continued to tell McGonagall about it. She even told her what she went through in the Malfoy Manor. The Transfiguration professor promptly switched Draco Malfoy out of her Potions class. That was the one good thing that had come of that week.

Snape had called her down from her second class, Alchemy, to his new office. She walked into the empty Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom to see Snape waiting at his desk. He flipped through a large, leather bound book before glancing up at her. "Sit down," he said monotonously. His voice carried much better in the large, open room than it did in the dungeons. Perci sat in the table closest his desk. "I have come to believe that Mrs. Lestrange is, in a way, possessing you. Almost as the Dark Lord did with your brother last year. Hopefully, you will be a better Occlumency student than he was. Although, that is not hard to do."

Perci rose an eyebrow, her mouth agape. It was a lot to take in. She was being possessed by that bitch? That didn't make sense, though. She wasn't like how Harry was last year. "I–" she wasn't sure what to say.

"Tell me, what is your connection to Edgar Roy?"

Perci's heart stopped. She searched for how to explain everything. Would Snape tell Dumbledore or McGonagall? Would they tell the Ministry? Would she go to Azkaban? And what if she did? What would happen to Harry? To Fred? Perci took a deep breath. "I killed him...with the Killing Curse." Snape stared at her, wondering if teaching her how to perform the Killing Curse was a good idea. Probably not one of his best.

"What does he do? And Bellatrix?"

Perci shuffled in her seat. This wasn't something she really wanted to talk about. "He just... stares at me or dies over and over again." Perci could feel her skin grow hot. Her breathing was quickening. She shut her eyes tightly. She couldn't think about Bellatrix. Every time she did, her mind always wondered to the dungeons of Malfoy Manor.

Snape narrowed his eyes as Perci's nails grew into talons, her hair catching on fire. The girl opened her eyes, and Snape could feel fear creep into him. He shook it off. "Potter!" He raised his voice. He got up from his desk and moved towards her. "Perciana! Perciana!" He snapped. Nothing stopped her. The table and chair was now alit. Snape pulled out his wand. "Aqua Eructo!" A powerful jet of water erupted from the end of his wand and hit Perci directly in the chest, extinguishing the fire and knocking her on the ground. Snape let out a sigh when he heard Perci groan. Taking her control issues into consideration, Snape knew this was not going to be easy.

Perci gently took off her soaking wet robes, cursing Snape the whole time. She understood why he needed to do it- she lost control and put him and herself in danger. Snape told her to come back next week for her first Occlumency lesson, which she wasn't looking forward to. Perci remembered what Harry was put through last year, and she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to handle it.

Perci stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself. She traced the long scars across her abdominal muscles. Her hand stopped when she came across the word 'monster' carved into her skin. It was very slightly pink, but still deep. It was jagged, Perci remembered Bellatrix carving it with her finger nails. She could easily remember her screams and the other witch's cackles. Perci shivered, shutting her eyes. When she opened them once again, a familiar red headed, tall boy was standing behind her. He stared at her stomach, glancing often at her back. He reached out to touch her, but his hand went through her shoulder. That's how Perci knew Bellatrix wasn't the cause of this.

She turned around to face him. Fred stared down at her with a warm smile and sad eyes. Perci wanted to touch him, but knew she couldn't. She needed him to hold her, to tell her she was going to get through this. She didn't need anyone else. She didn't care about anyone else. She didn't understand what was going through her mind when she started that flirting "distraction" crap with Dean. Dean was a good person, and she didn't need to bring him into her mess. In the end, nothing could distract her from the man standing in front of her. She hated it, but she could never hate him. Perci was starting to realize that maybe life was too short. And especially for an ex-demigoddess witch in this age and situation. For all she knew, she could be dead the next day. So Perci wasn't sure why she was wasting time, why she wasn't doing exactly what she wanted to do, what she needed to do. Perci was tired of being miserable. She was–

Hermione interrupted her inner monologue. "Perci, you in here? Slughorn sent me to come find you. You're–" Hermione walked up the stairs and into the dormitory before coming to a halt, seeing her. The young witch turned pale, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes. Perci went back to staring at herself. Hermione approached cautiously, taking in every scar, every discoloration of her skin. Hermione glanced at 'monster' on her stomach and choked.

"When Ron called us down that day, the day Remus and Sirius brought you home," she started softly, "and I came down and saw your thin and bloodied body on the kitchen table," Hermione shut her eyes for a moment, a tear escaping her eyes, "that was the day when I first wanted to kill Voldemort. Kill him myself. Before that, it was just a mutual feeling amongst everyone. Everyone wanted him gone, dead. But that day, I wanted to be the one to do it...kill him because of what he did to you."

Perci fought back tears. She clenched her fists, willing herself not to cry. "He wasn't the one who did this to me, 'Mione. Bellatrix and Malfoy. This is their doing." Hermione closed her eyes and looked away. She hated imagining the things Malfoy and the death eater could've done to her. "Somehow, every time I see Malfoy, half of me wants him to suffer as I did. But the other half remembers the scared, innocent little boy who hid into my dressing room, running away from two bullies. The little boy who wrote to me a month later, thanking me and hoping he would get sorted into Gryffindor. Then, I don't want him to hurt, to be angry. I don't want anything bad happening to him because in the end, he's still that scared little boy." Hermione was partially confused. Was Perci talking about the same Malfoy as she had come to know? "Maybe I'm just mad," she added. "I mean, who wouldn't want the torturer dead?"

"What about Bellatrix?"

Perci scowled. "Oh, believe me, Hermione. Bellatrix will die someday, and it will be by my hand. I will make her suffer." Perci's eyes were cold and dark. The room seemed to shift and it frightened Hermione, and not much frightened the young witch. Perci's mood then seemed to switch. She turned to her bed and began putting on muggle clothes. She threw on her Weasley sweater and jeans before looking for her wand.

Hermione snapped out of it, remembering the reason she went looking for Perci. "Slughorn was wondering why you didn't show up to class. He wanted me to find you and–"

Perci threw her wet robes in her dirty laundry basket. "Just tell him Snape needed to see me." Perci walked past Hermione and headed down the steps to the common room. Hermione caught up, jogging after her.

"Perci, where are you going?" Hermione called.

Perci threw on a jacket and scarf before turning back to the girl. "I have an errand to run. Save me some pumpkin juice from the feast." With that Perci transformed and flew out of the window of the common room. Hermione groaned and made her way all the way back down to the dungeons to pass on Perci's lie to Slughorn. She loved the girl, but sometimes Perci drove her mad.

Perci stood right outside of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, staring into the window. It was practically empty, all except for Fred and George laughing along with an older woman and what looked like could be her grandson. The little boy stared at the Trick Wand and the Screaming Yo-Yo with a look of wonderment. It made Perci smile. She loved how their products could make people happiest even in the darkest of times. Perci glanced around, trying to find some reason why she shouldn't go in there. Perci had been standing outside of the shop for at least 20 minutes. She was scared they wouldn't want to see her. Why would they after the way she treated them?

The old woman and her grandson walked happily out of the joke shop past Perci. "Thanks, Grams. Can we go look at the broomsticks now?" He asked excitedly.

The grandmother smiled. "Anything for you sweetheart."

Perci turned back to the shop window and took a deep breath. She pulled open the door, flinching at the ringing of the store bell. Perci looked around at the walls full of products and grinned. Every time she saw the store it was like the first time. Although, this was only her second time inside the shop. Perci could feel the twins behind her, but she continued to look at the products. "D'you know where I could find a spell-checking quill? I plan on taking the N.E.W.T. exams early." She asked. Perci turned, looking up at Fred and George. They look older, tired. They, of course, wore the same clothes and hair, but Perci could easily tell them apart. George was the first to hug her. Her wrapped his arms around her waist and scooped her up, twirling her around.

"So good to see you, Prissy!" He placed her back down on the ground, laughing happily.

"Great to see you too, Georgie," Perci grinned. She turned to Fred who continued to stare down at her, expressionless. George glanced over at his brother and then down at Perci. He coughed awkwardly and patted Fred on the back.

"I'll just go...count the money," he muttered, looking for an excuse to get out of the uncomfortably situation. Perci smiled at him, promising to catch up later. Fred crossed his arms and looked around, anywhere but the girl standing in front of him.

"Fred, I–" Perci began, but Fred stopped her.

"What're you doing here, Perci?" He sounded tired, and annoyed. Perci was taken aback a bit. Fred had never acted so cold towards her as he did now. He wouldn't look at her.

"I, er," Perci ran a hand through her dark, wavy, tangled hair, "I needed to see how you were. If you were alright..." she trailed off. Fred finally looked at her. His eyes were stony; Perci could tell he was hurt and pissed at her. She understood why: she ignored him for months, made him think she might've not been okay and that he was the reason, left him when he needed her, and after all of that she ignored him again. After Perci thought about it, she had been a total bitch.

"I'm fine. Now, why don't you go run off to Dean. He'll give you that comfort crap or whatever you want." There was an edge to his voice that kind of broke Perci's heart. She frowned. How could he have known about Dean? Then it dawned on her: Ron. Ron had been pissed about the whole Dean situation and probably told on her. There would be some serious ass licking when she got back to the castle.

"Fred, I'm not with Dean. There's nothing between us. He was just a-a distraction." Perci's voice was almost pleading.

Fred rolled his eyes, trying to hide all the hurt she caused him. He wasn't going to let her back in when she was probably just going to throw everything away again. "A distraction from what?" He scowled.

Perci sighed. "From you! From everything that's happened in the past two years. From the torture, to the animagus crap, to me killing that death eater!"

Fred's scowl didn't waver. He backed away from her and ran his hands through his short hair, wanting to pull it out. "Stop trying to make me feel sorry for you! I'm tired of that shit!" His voice was raised now.

Perci scowled. "I'm not trying to make you feel sorry for me, Fredrick." Her voice was low and irritable. "I gave you the reason I started things with him. It's over. It's been over for weeks." Perci threw her jacket to the ground in frustration. "And why does it matter to you who I may or may not be with?"

Fred gave her a humorless laugh, rolling his eyes. "You can't really be that thick, Perci. Do you not even remember what happened right before you abandoned me? Or did it mean that little to you?" Fred's voice was soft now. Perci remembered back to what happened that day.

She closed her eyes, and sat on the ground. "I didn't even kiss him. It was just flirting, Fred. It meant nothing." Fred stared down at her. Perci put her head in her hands. "I know I hurt you. I know what I did makes you it trust me, hate me probably. I understand that. I didn't do it because I didn't want to see you or I didn't care about you or lov–" Perci sighed, "I did it to protect you. To protect George, your whole family. You guys don't understand how that was the hardest decision of my life. Even trumps that time I had to give Luke that dagger," she muttered to herself. "The death eaters, Voldemort, they know what I did and they know what I can do. I was scared that if they found out that you meant something to me, they'd use you against me. Or hurt you. Or kill you. And I'd rather go through everything that's happened in the last two years a million times than put you in danger. If anything happened to you, I don't know what I would do."

"I don't need protection, Perci." Fred was now sitting next to her.

Perci laughed. "Oh, I know. I know you can hold your own. But if I had to do it all over again... I wouldn't change a thing." They sat on silence for what felt like hours. They didn't look at each other or speak to each other.

After a while, Fred got up. He stared down at her, seemingly debating something in his head. He held his hand out. "We have a few butterbeers made up, if you want some. I'm sure George wants to talk to you, too."

Perci looked up. "Do you have blue cookie crumble?" Even after the whole thing with Sally, Perci still loved her blue cookies, and had it with her butterbeer every time. Fred nodded. Perci got up and took his hand. Before she could walk up the steps to the second level where George was waiting for them, Fred pulled her to his chest and hugged her tightly.

Perci hadn't felt that at home for a long time.


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Harry Potter or Percy Jackson. Enjoy!**

 **-Rooney1077**

When Perci got back, it was late. She wasn't sure how long she was with Fred and George, they lost track of time. She assumed she must've been there for hours since she left when classes where still going on and returned at 3:00 in the morning. Perci quietly took off her jacket, not wanting to wake the other girls who were sleeping soundly, and changed into pajamas. She slipped into bed, dreading sleep, for she knew the nightmares would come. However, that was the first night in a long time where Perci didn't have one.

Perci sat sleepily at her desk in the Potions room, flipping through a scrapbook Sirius had given her. She watched the pictures, not feeling anything. She had yet to put her memories back in her head. She wanted to wait, and watch them with Harry, but she was getting tired of constantly not feeling anything when Harry mentioned them. They were her memories and she had every right to have them back, but she felt the need to share them with her brother. Perci flipped to a certain page. It was a picture of her, Lily, James, and Harry. She assumed they were trying to take a family Christmas photo–it was snowing lightly outside. They were standing in front of a church. Perci wondered if she would've been Christian if Sally hadn't taken her away and introduced her to the Greek gods. She looked to be about 2. Perci realized this must've been taken around the time Sally had taken her and her parents had died. James was rocking her back and forth, laughing. Perci had his glasses on and was giggling profusely. Lily was trying to calm down a crying Harry. It was slightly chaotic. Perci smiled, imagining how that must've felt.

She was snapped out of her wondering by a large cauldron being slammed down on her desk. Above her stood Dean, who refused to meet her gaze. Perci rolled her eyes and looked into his cauldron full of Essence of Dittany. It was a purplish color which immediately signaled to Perci that Dean had incorrectly brewed the potion. Perci pulled out her wand and made a small incision on her palm. She dipped it in the potion. If he had even a little bit correctly made it, her skin would've grown back and the wound cease to exist. When Perci pulled it out, her hand was green. She sighed and healed her hand and gave Dean his grade.

"For starters, the color should be brown. Also, it's should've healed me, so..." Perci trailed off awkwardly. Dean looked down at his grade and sauntered off without a word. Perci groaned and ran a hand through her hair. Before she could move on to the next brew, Dean was back with a medium sized frame. He put it on her desk, faced down.

"That was what I was going to show you in the Room of Requirement. Probably not what you were thinking." He laughed humorlessly. "I probably would've kissed you, though, so thank God that didn't happen." Perci felt a small pang in her chest. "If your intentions aren't pure, then let me be." With that he walked away from her, leaving Perci speechless. She flipped the frame over and sighed. It was the painting of her by the Womping Willow. Dean had taken her out and set up a picnic there. He begged her to let him paint her. It was the first time he drew her. Perci smiled lightly at it, it was beautiful. On the back of the frame it was signed, 'Thank you for making this semester one of the best. Yours, D.T.'.

Harry came up behind her. "What's that?"

Perci jumped and placed the frame on the table. "Oh, er, a gift." Harry rose an eyebrow before giving her his cauldron. "Why do I even need to check yours? I know you did it all right with that book."

Harry sighed. "I know you don't approve–"

Perci lowered her voice to a whisper. "Harry, I looked up that spell, Sectumsempra, and it's a nasty one. It's like an invisible sword. It slashes deep cuts across the victims body, causing them to bleed to death." Harry shuffled uncomfortably. "Whomever made that spell, isn't the kind of person you should be learning from. It's dangerous."

"I don't intend on using any of the spells on anyone, Perce. You don't have to worry. I'll be fine." Harry calmly explained and took his grade sheet and left with Ron and Hermione. Perci sighed, watching them go. It wasn't him she was worried about when it came to that book.

"Perci, before you leave," Perci looked up to see Slughorn standing right in front of her. He seemed slightly nervous. "I wanted to invite you to my supper party tomorrow evening."

Perci was surprised. She was under the impression that Slughorn didn't like her, or didn't trust her at least. "Er, sure I'd go." As long as there'd be food, Perci would be fine with attending his probably boring dinner party. Slughorn gave her a toothy grin and a nod, then left her to finish her grading. Perci continued grading everyone's cauldrons before heading to Alchemy and the rest of her classes. Perci was on edge the entire day, waiting for Bellatrix or Roy to show up, but they didn't. It was the first day in months that they didn't haunt her. She even thought she might be having a good day. That is, until Snape told her to stay after class for a moment.

"We need to start Occlumency immediately. I've realized that every second Bellatrix has to invade your mind, she could find out valuable information, or possibly destroy you," Snape stated bluntly.

Perci wasn't surprised anymore. A lot of people in her life wanted to destroy her. She shrugged her shoulders. "When do we start?" She asked.

Snape grabbed her gently by the shoulder and led her out of the room. "Immediately."

Perci looked back. "But...lunch," she murmured wistfully. He dragged her through the halls, past portraits and students and professors. They finally came to a stop at a blank wall. Snape placed his hand on it and closed his eyes. The wall quickly morphed into two large, intricately shaped doors, the Room of Requirement. Snape pulled them open and pulled them closed quickly behind them. The room was tiny and stacked with numerous bottle of who knows what. There was a small chair sitting against the wall. It was dark, musty, and smelled terrible. Perci thought Snape must've felt right at home then. Snape motioned for her to sit down in the small, uncomfortable looking chair, and Perci did so begrudgingly.

Snape drew his wand and pointed it at her. Perci could help but scoot back in her chair. "In the past, the Dark Lord often took pleasure in invading people's minds, creating visions meant to torture them in to madness, much like what Bellatrix is doing to you. The power of Occlumency will help shield you from her influence or access. I am going to attempt to penetrate your mind, look into your memories. You are going to attempt to resist me. Are you ready?" Perci took a deep breath, readying herself. She wasn't exactly sure what to expect. "Legilimens!" She definitely didn't expect the excruciating pain that followed.

The first major memory Snape saw was not one he particularly wanted to see ever again. He guessed it was Perci's first time. Perci was tangled up with the Diggory boy, Cedric. They looked young, maybe 15. It was in a field under blue skies. The sun was shining and they were laying on a picnic blanket laughing. He saw parts of Perci that he wished he'd see of Lily. Then he thought, 'That was creepier than usual.' Perci knocked him out of that memory quickly.

"No! Stop!" Perci growled. It wasn't enough to make her really angry, enough to make her change. That was what Snape was looking for.

"Resist!" Snape yelled before going back into her memories. This time he came across one that sparked his interest. Perci was much younger, maybe 6 or 7. Her short, black hair was put up in pig tails. She was playing in the sand with what looked to be Sally Jackson. Snape felt a wave of anger seeing the woman, but pushed it down. Perci was now looking into the ocean. A man's face appeared, his green eyes that mirrored the sea twinkled. He gave her a large, toothy smile and then vanished. It was longer before Snape was knocked out of that memory.

"You're getting worse at this, Potter! Stronger, focus." One more time Snape went searching. He found another memory, one he had a feeling about. He used all of his strength to push against Perci's guard and look into it. This was one recent. The sun looked to be setting. Perci and Fred Weasley stood on a balcony talking. Fred began to back away, shaking his head with his arms crossed against his chest.

Perci grabbed his face and made him look at her and then ran her thumb along his cheekbone, saying something. Fred began to say something, but Perci interrupted him. Tears slid down her cheeks. By then they were both in tears. She stood on her tip-toes, and pulled Fred down so she could reach him. She pressed her lips to his and kissed him with everything she had. After a moment, she pulled away. Perci said something before backing away from him and turned toward the horizon. Perci climbed onto the railing and with one last look at Fred, she jumped down from the ledge. Fred ran to the railing to see Perci fly up in her Phoenix form, still with her backpack on her back. She flew away from him.

Snape could feel something hot on his chest. He was violently shoved out of her mind. He 'awoke' to see his chest on fire and a halfway turned Phoenix snarling at him. She swiped at the professor with her talons, her eyes glowing a terrifying fire-y orange. Snape casted a shielding charm over him, protecting himself from Perci's wrath. She spoke through her transformation, "No! Not him!" Her voice was low and harsh. Snape hoped that maybe she would've calmed down, but she didn't. Her anger seemed unstoppable. Snape racked his brain for a way to calm her. Fred.

"Think of him, Perci! Think of Fred! How would he feel if he saw you in this state?" He yelled. The small room burst into flames. Wrong thing to say, Snape. Good show. "Think of his eyes," Snape started. "Think of his smile, his warmth. I know you love his warmth, Perci. I saw it. I know how you feel about him. It's so strong it's terrifying. I know." His mind wondered to Lily. "Think of all the reasons why you need him. Think of a future with him. Just imagine Fred." Perci shut her eyes tightly and squeezed her head in between her hands. She screamed at the pain, but the fire began to die down. Snape saw her talons retract and skin go back to its normal tan. Perci fell back into the chair, dazed and breathless. Her breathing was heavy and raspy. Snape quickly conjured up a glass of water, handing it to her. Perci shakily drank the whole glass.

"I'm sorry," Perci muttered, looking down at her hands.

Snape pulled up a chair beside her and shook his head. "I told you I would find you a way to control yourself." Snape paused. "All you have to do when you feel it taking over you–all you must do is think of Fred. He is what ties you to reality, as cliche as it is to say." Perci put her head in her hands. Snape hesitated, but put his pale hand on her shoulder in what he meant to be a comforting way. Perci looked up at him with raised eyebrows and a growing smirk.

"Thanks, Snapey-Poo." With that Snape gave her a hard glare and withdrew his hand. He pushed his chair back to the wall and straightened his robes.

"We'll continue tomorrow night." Snape turned to leave.

"Wait," Perci started, causing Snape to turn, "I, er, have a dinner party with Slughorn and the other teacher pets tomorrow night."

Snape gave her an unamused look. "Don't go."

Perci sighed and got up. "I have to. I already said I'd be there. With all of this disappearing I've been doing, people will start to ask questions. They'll wonder what's going on, and that could lead to some very not-so-good things happening," she explained.

Snape nodded, seeming to understand. "Fine. We will resume lessons the day after the Quidditch match. All day. You will take a sick leave for that day." With that, Snape left the tiny room, leaving Perci to collect her bearings.

That next day, Perci shuffled up the slippery, snow covered steps of the west tower, heading toward the Owlery. She wasn't cold at all as the harsh wind seemingly tried to throw her off the tower. She was hoping to find a letter from Fred. They agreed to write to each other. Perci was the first to start the correspondence. She told him about her problem with controlling her animagus. Although, she didn't let him in on what allowed her to control herself. She was just getting his trust back, and didn't need him getting freaked out to early. She'd save that for later on. Perci was so caught up in her thoughts she ran into someone, falling into the solid stone wall of the Owlery. She cursed, feeling a knot already forming on her shoulder. She turned to give the person an earful, but shut her mouth seeing who it was. Dean was hunched over, picking up a package and his letters from the snowy ground.

Perci bent down and helped gather his letters. "Sorry, wasn't looking where I was going," she apologized softly.

Dean shook his head, not looking at her. "It's fine." He pushed past her, trying not to touch her at all. Perci rolled her eyes as his pettiness.

"Dean," he turned to face her, "thank you for the painting. It's beautiful." She gave him a small smile.

Dean looked down. "Well, it's easy to paint something beautiful when the subject is beautiful, too," he muttered almost to himself, but Perci easily heard it. She ignored the response.

"Sorry, again." Perci turned to enter the Owlery, but Dean's reply stopped her.

"If the reason you've been avoiding me is because of your animagus side getting in the way, that's a terrible excuse." Perci didn't turn, and that seemed to annoy him. "Perci, if you aren't looking to be with me or whatever, that's fine. I can work around it. But I really did enjoy getting to know you and talking to you. That can still go on without the flirting and stuff. We could be friends, you know." Perci rubbed her eyes and mulled his speech over for a minute. Dean was about to tell her to forget it when she turned around.

"Alright. That would be nice." She said. Dean gave her a nod and a smile before heading down the steps carefully. It felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She hated him hating her. Perci finally entered the Owlery and looked for Achilles, her owl. She found Achilles sitting in one of the stone cubbies, cleaning his grey and brown feathers. Under him was a medium sized envelope and a small package. Perci grinned and took the two items, petting Achilles and giving him a small owl treat she had 'borrowed' from Harry. "Thanks, buddy," she whispered. Perci looked at her watch and cursed. She had 15 minutes until she needed to be back to the castle to go to Slughorn's dinner party. She morphed into her animagus and flew off to the castle, swiftly coming to a perch at the small window to the Gryffindor common room. She looked inside seeing an already dressed Harry and Hermione, probably waiting for her. She pecked on the window, grabbing their attention. Harry his wand at the window and opened it. Perci flew straight in, going past them, and heading up to the girls dormitory. She transformed and quickly pulled on her knee length black dress, checked her face in the mirror, and hurried down the steps to meet Harry and Hermione.

"That was quick," Harry remarked.

She grinned at them. "Look at me, defying stereotypes." Hermione rolled her eyes and led them to Slughorn's room where the dinner party would take place. As soon as they arrived they were greeted with soft classical music and house elves carrying plates of food around. Perci felt her stomach growl. "This food better be good, or I'm leaving," she muttered. Slughorn, catching Harry's eye while he was searching for Ginny, headed their way.

"Harry, m'boy! Glad you came," he gave a low laugh, and seemed to notice the other two girls finally. "Good to see you Ms. Granger, Ms. Potter." He nodded at them and turned back to Harry. "Come, come. The elves are just now setting the table." At that he pulled Harry toward the table expecting Hermione and Perci to follow along. Hermione had a sour look on her face at the mention of the house elves setting the table. Perci rolled her eyes with a smile and pulled her to the table.

Throughout the appetizer and entrée Slughorn talked about all of the amazing and dangerous things he'd done in his long life. Perci was on her third plate when she heard her name. Perci's head jerked up looking at Slughorn expectantly, waiting for him to continue. "I'm sure we have all been wondering it since you returned to Hogwarts and your name was cleared..." The Professor started. "Did you kill Cedric Diggory?" Perci clenched her jaw. She was thankful no one had directly come up to her and asked something like that. Perci hated being put on the spot like Slughorn was doing. She narrowed her eyes at him, but he seemed unfazed.

Harry shook his head, presumably saying she didn't have to answer that. Perci shrugged and inhaled deeply. She shouldn't have come to this. She should've known that he would've attacked her like that. No one snaps out of not liking someone in that short a time period. "No, I didn't kill him," she stared through a clenched jaw. Perci gripped her fork tightly. She glanced up, and a dark figure moved across her vision. Perci focused on the moving figure. It finally stopped right behind Slughorn. Bellatrix gave her a sly grin and a wave of her bony, pale fingers. Perci gulped, feeling herself get hot.

Slughorn took a sip of his ale. "And what about Edgar Roy? I heard from a buddy in the Ministry, you had a, er, confrontation with him." He gave her a wide smile and glowered at her. Behind him, Roy appeared. Suddenly, Perci could hear her voice scream, "Avada Kedavra!" A green light appeared and hit Roy straight in the chest, causing him to be thrown back against the wall. The next thing Perci knew, Bellatrix was behind her. She drew her dagger and stabbed Perci straight through the hand that was resting on her leg. Perci wanted to scream but her mouth wouldn't move. Bellatrix cackled and whooshed away along with Edgar Roy and her dinner plate.

Sitting in front of her was now a large bowl of chocolate treacle that was almost melted. Perci looked around, but no one was paying attention to her. Slughorn was talking to Marcus Belby, whom unapologetically shoveled the treacle in his mouth.

"Do you see much of your uncle Damocles, Belby? Now, those of you who don't know, Marcus' uncle invented the wolfsbane potion." Slughorn informed the rest of the table, who of course did not know. Perci frowned, looking over at Harry, who had been staring at the door. He didn't seem fazed at all.

Belby replied, stopping for a moment to swallow his food. "Not much of him, no. Him and me dad don't get on. Says his Potions are rubbish, he says." Belby shoveled more treacle into his large mouth. Perci didn't understand what was happening. Did she dream that? The pain in her hand that rested on her leg said otherwise. Perci glanced down, just to make sure she wasn't crazy. Her hand was bleeding profusely. Blood dripped onto her thigh and down her leg. Perci looked back up and around the table to make sure no one was paying attention to her. Then she started to silently cry.

Salty tears dripped down her cheeks and onto her injured hand. Small puffs of smoke billowed up from her hand. Her skin burned as she watched her hand heal slowly from the tears. Perci grinned, glad she tested that out.

"Ms. Potter, are you alright?" Came a raspy voice across from her. Perci glanced up, quickly wiping her tears away. Slughorn looked at her confused and slightly concerned. He must've noticed her crying and the smoke, Perci guessed.

"Er, yeah. I'm fine," she replied shortly.

Slughorn nodded. "Well, we were discussing parents and family members..." he trailed off glancing at her. She didn't have any family besides Harry, and he couldn't ask about Harry when the boy was sitting right next to her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Blaise Zabini smirk smugly. Slughorn searched for a topic. "Oh! What will you be doing after Graduation, Ms. Potter?"

Perci had thought long and hard about what she should do. She knew what she wanted to do, but the world didn't need another pro Quidditch player or Potions Master. Perci knew she needed to do something that would benefit the wizarding world. "I've thought about becoming an Auror, or possibly a hit-witch." A hit-witch is a division of Aurors who go out and hunt very dangerous wizards and witches or beasts. "Something that would benefit the wizarding world." Slughorn nodded, surprised at her answer.

Blaise Zabini scoffed. "You'd be good at that," he muttered. Perci shot him a harsh glare, making him squirm slightly.

"I knew a tremendous hit wizard, Bombardius Griffith. Captured Jugson during the first war. Wonderful man." Slughorn provided. Perci nodded.

Suddenly the door to the room slammed shut. In walked a puffy, red eyed Ginny Weasley. "Sorry I'm late, Professor."

Slughorn waved her off. "No matter, no matter. Come, sit!" He turned to one of the house elves by his chair. "Go retrieve Ms. Weasley a bowl of Treacle," he ordered. Just as Ginny was making her way to the table, Harry abruptly stood, staring at her. Perci and Hermione gave him a look and he sat down.

Hermione leaned over to Harry. "They've been fighting. Ginny and Michael." Harry felt a wave of anger rush through him at the thought of anyone fighting with the youngest Weasley. The rest of the dinner party went smoothly with Slughorn showing them The Shelf, and explaining why each person was there. Perci noticed Lily, her mother. She saw Harry smile at the picture.

Perci didn't feel anything.

Perci awoke the next morning in the best mood she'd been in for a while. Today was the first Gryffindor Quidditch game, and of course it was against Slytherin. She was ready to get back into the amazing game. Perci pulled on her tight Quidditch robes and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, and Ravenclaws wished her luck, saying they hoped they beat Slytherin. Most Houses hated Slytherin. Perci quickly thanked them and sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Ron, who looked sick. "You ready for today, Ron?" Perci asked upbeatly, slapping him on the back. She grinned and took a long swig of pumpkin juice. "I know I am."

Lavender Brown walked towards the group. She stood next to Ron, staring at him intently. "Cheer up, Ron!" She said. "I know you'll be brilliant!" Ron smiled weakly at her as she walked back to the Patil sisters, giggling all the way. Perci shot her a disgusted look. Harry gave him a sympathetic look.

"Tea? Coffee? Pumpkin juice?" He offered. He needed his keeper and best friend feeling his best.

Ron stared down at his plate and picked up a piece of toast, biting into it violently. "Whatever, I don't care."

Hermione put her paper down. "How is everyone feeling?"

Perci gave her a large grin, stuffing her face with bacon. Harry smiled at her. "Fine," he replied handing Ron a glass. "Here's some pumpkin juice, mate. Drink up."

Hermione narrowed her eyes as Harry as Ron raised the cup, about to take a sip. Her eyes widened. "Don't drink that, Ron!" She hissed, slamming her late on the table. Perci jumped along with Harry and Ron. "Harry, you just slipped something in his cup!"

Harry rose an eyebrow. Perci took Ron's cup and smelled it. She glanced up at Harry, seeing him give her a look she gave the cup back to the keeper. "I dunno what you're talking about." Harry took a bite of his eggs. Ron stared back and forth between Harry and Hermione. She glared intensely at Harry.

Ron continued the drink to his mouth. "Ron, don't," she warned. Ron uncertainly took a sip and the downed the drink. He smacked his lips as Hermione stormed off from the table. Perci stared confused at Harry, but shook it off.

"Nearly time," Perci informed them and got up from the table. Harry and Ron followed her out of the Great Hall with Gryffindors cheering and Slytherins hissing at them. Perci patted Ron on the back. "Don't worry about them." She could tell the other students bothered him. Ginny soon joined them along with Dean and her boyfriend Michael. She rose an eyebrow at Ron's sick looking face, but ignored it.

"Pretty ideal weather," she said. Harry nodded, grinning at her, ignoring Michael's presence. "And guess what? The Slytherin Chaser Vaisey-he took a Bludger in the head yesterday during their practice, and he's too sore to play! And even better news- Malfoy's gone off sick. He can't play either!" She explained excitedly. One less Beater for the Chasers to worry about. And no Malfoy sweetened the pot for Harry. Ginny and Perci walked ahead too excited to control themselves, leaving Harry, Ron, Dean, and Michael to walk together awkwardly in silence.

Harry turned to Ron. "Fishy, isn't it–Malfoy not playing?" He said in a low voice so Dean and Michael wouldn't hear.

Ron shrugged. "Lucky, I call it. And Vaisey off too? He's their biggest goal scorer. I didn't fancy going against him." Harry could tell Ron was slightly more animated than he was before. By then, they had five limits left and were getting ready in the locker room. When they were done putting their equipment on, they walked out onto the pitch, their broomsticks on hand.

Perci stopped just before she stepped into the pitch. Dean came up behind her, carrying his Beater stick. He stared out onto the pitch with her. "Nervous?" He asked.

Perci nodded wordlessly. She breathed in and out, trying to get rid of the nauseous feeling in her stomach that she had acquired while lacing up her boots in the locker room. "This is my first game in two years." Perci started backing away from the field. She went out of view and slid down against the tunnel wall, putting her head in her hands.

Dean followed her and squatted down in front of her. He put his large hands on her knees. "Hey," he gently shook her knees to get her to look at him. "You are one of the best Chasers Hogwarts has seen in decades. You made the team your second year and played over seventh years. You scored 20 goals against Hufflepuff in one game. You are incredible. You just have to be confident in yourself." Perci stared at him, controlling her breathing. Perci could feel her skin grow hot and her eyes burn a great orange. She moved back fro Dean and closed her eyes tightly. Dean furrowed his brow. "Hey, hey. You're fine. You don't have to hide." He whispered. He stood up. "I'll be at the edge waiting for you." He walked away giving her time to compose herself.

Perci remembered what Snape had told her. "Think of him," he had said. Fred. Perci thought back to the first time she had met Fred.

It was Perci's second year. She sat irritably in Filtch's office, twiddling her thumbs with her feet on his desk and her head back. She had been caught by the squib when she and Peeves sprayed water all over the floor in front of Slytherin's common room and Perci had frozen it. They hid behind a column and broke out into fits of laughter whenever a Slytherin would unknowing walk onto the ice and slip. The fun ended when Filtch himself had slipped on the ice. He then made Perci clean up the mess by herself as Peeves watched. Of course she was the only one who got in trouble as Peeves was a ghost. Filtch had dragged her back to his filthy, tiny office, waiting for Professor McGonagall. Perci wasn't looking forward to that. She hated disappointing Professor McGonagall.

Perci had been sitting there for about 30 minutes. Her butt was beginning to cramp when the the door to his office was pushed open. In walked, well...pushed, two lanky ginger boys–identical twins. They looked young, probably first years. She couldn't help think they were both attractive, but Cedric Diggory had alway taken the prize for her. He was probably waiting in the Library for her like they said they would. The two boys were covered in purple and green glitter, and behind them, so was Filtch. They grinned as Filtch dragged them by the color of their robes and pushed them toward the two empty seats on either side of Perci.

"Wait here while I go get Professor McGonagall. Any of youse move and I'll get Snape to hex you!" He threatened before slamming the door to his office shut. As soon as the door was closed the twins turned to her.

The one on her left gave her a wide grin, and offered her his hand. "George Weasley, first year. Great to meet you Perci Jackson. Fred and I think you're a wonderful Chaser." He said all of that faster than Perci could comprehend. Perci gave him a nod and awkward smile before shaking his outstretched hand. She muttered a thanks. She turned to the other twin, Fred, who gave her a small smile. "Fred," he said and shook her hand lightly.

"Perci," she replied.

"What're you in here for?" George asked.

Perci grinned. "Froze water outside the Slytherin common room." She laughed remembering back to about 40 minutes ago. Good times. "What about you?" She asked, looking to George. He seemed like the more outgoing one of the two. To her surprise, Fred replied.

"Exploded a box of glitter in the kitchen. We were testing one of our products."

Perci gave him a curious look. "Products?"

"We plan on opening up a joke shop," George told her.

Perci rose a brow. "Quite the competition out there with Zonkos."

Fred shrugged his shoulders seeming to get more comfortable around her. "We're having trouble with the brewing part of the magic, though."

"You see, Perci, we're rubbish at Potions," George continued. Fred nodded along with a wide smile. Perci chuckled at the smile. He seemed proud to say they sucked. Perci liked that.

"Well I have Potions with fourth years. If you ever needed help or anything, I'd be happy to..." she trailed off.

"That would be brilliant!" Fred exclaimed. The boy shook his head, glitter falling out her his hair and into his eyes. Perci laughed softly.

Dean felt Perci come up beside him after a minute. She was very calm, but he could still see apprehension in her eyes. "You know," she began, "I haven't been in this arena since the first challenge of the Triwizard Tournament." It was more of a statement than a question, Dean noted. He nodded, remembering the tournament.

"You ready?" He asked, looking down at her.

Perci took a deep breath and nodded. The two Gryffindors stepped onto the pitch together and were greeted with roars and cheers from their Gryffindor section and Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's sections. Slytherin's boos were drowned out. Perci and Dean took their positions on the ground of the pitch. Harry was in the middle with Slytherin's captain and Madame Hooch, dressed in her usual referee robes.

"Mount your brooms. On my whistle," she was ready to release the balls. Perci felt a large grin come across her face. She mounted her broom staring right at the Quaffle in Hooch's hands. "Three...two...one!" And she blew the whistle throwing the balls in the air. Perci immediately kicked off the frosty ground and caught the Quaffle before anyone else. She had to immediately dodge a Bludger aimed at her head. She threw the Quaffle Ginny, swerving past each Chaser and Beater she came across with great speeds. Ginny threw the Quaffle back to her after getting slightly trapped by Beaters. As soon as Perci caught the Quaffle she was on a one on one with Slytherin's Keeper. She plummeted toward him with the Quaffle. As soon as she was almost nose to nose with him at the middle goal, she threw it through the other goalpost to her left, earning Gryffindor 10 points.

A voice that wasn't Lee Jordan's voice rang through the commentator's box. "Well, there they go, and I think we're al surprised to see the team Potter's put together this year. Many thought, given Ronald Weasley's patchy performance last year as Keeper, he might be off the team, but of course, a close personal friendship with the Captain is bound to get you somewhere. Oh–and Gryffindor scores! Perci Jackson–sorry, Potter, gives Gryffindor its first 10 points of the year! McNally must've been dreading Potter being Chaser once again this year!"

Perci threw Katie the Quaffle after a Bludger nearly hit her broomstick. Katie then threw Ginny the Quaffle, but was intercepted by a Slytherin Chaser.

"Oh, and here comes Slytherin's first attempt on goal. It's Urquhart streaking down the pitch and–" Urquhart shot at the far goal. "–Weasley saves it, well he's bound to get lucky sometimes I suppose..."

With about 30 minutes through the game Perci had scored 6 more goals, Ginny scoring 4, and Katie scoring 3. It was 140-0. Gryffindor was massacring Slytherin. Ron had made a couple incredible saves. The crowd began chanting "Weasley Is Our King". Harry had grown irritated with the new commentator, Zacharias Smith, a Hufflepuff whom he hated. Harry zoomed past Dean, while looking for the snitch, a large grin on his face. "Hit a Bludger at him!" He called. Dean laughed and the next time he found a Bludger, he knocked it toward the commentators box, hitting Zacharias in the gut.

Perci, once again scored. Harper, Slytherin's seeker was getting irritable. He went up to his Beater, took the beating stick and as Perci, Ginny, and Katie Bell were going straight for the goal, he hit Perci straight in the face with the bat with tremendous force. Perci screamed in pain, and flew to the ground, before she hit the ground, she threw the Quaffle with as much force as she could at Ginny. The entire crowd, except for the Slytherin's, booed and screamed at Hooch to call something. The Weasley caught it and flew past the Beaters, scoring. Perci hit the ground with a thud, and skirted across the sand, blood that leaked out of her head wound leaving a trail behind her.

She lay face down on the ground, her anger piercing through her pain. She'd felt worse. With a furious scream Perci was pack in the air, her eyes blazing orange, her talons out, and her skin burning hot. She saw red as she looked for Harper. He was trailing behind Harry, chasing the snitch. Perci didn't care if Madame Hooch was watching. She was heading straight for Harper, going so fast she was a blur. Perci hit him full force, tearing through the arena. Harper fell off his broom, but somehow landed safely on the ground outside of the arena where no one could see. Perci glared around, looking for who allowed Harper to land safely. Perci's eyes caught Snape's who was standing on the ground. Perci composed herself, just thinking back to her time meeting Fred again, and flew back into the arena. By then Harry had caught the snitch and the rest of the team was on the ground celebrating, the crowd roaring, in particular Luna's lion hat. Perci grinned and landed on the ground joining her teammates. But a nagging feeling in her chest made her look up at the stands again. In the stands, she could see a familiar head of messy orange hair. She could just imagine his brown eyes, and a warm feeling spread through her entire body. A large smile stretched across her face. Perci mounted her broom and sped up to see him.

Fred loved Perci's after-the-game look. She was always sweaty, for she put everything she had into each game, and her hair was a mess. As was her robes. They were always covered in mud or dirt and sometimes blood. As Perci flew up to him in the stands all he could think was he had never seen a more beautiful human being, and didn't think one would ever exist or trump Perci's beauty inside and out. He was only slightly worried about the bat she took to the face, but knew she could handle it and herself. Perci landed her broom on the edge of the stands right before she was swarmed by her fellow Gryffindors. Fred had to admit, he missed Quidditch. Not as much as he missed her, though. Perci politely pushed past the crowd dropped her broom and enveloped Fred into a huge hug. Fred lifted her off her feet, hugging her back just as hard.

"You didn't have to come," she murmured against the nape of his neck.

Fred laughed and let go of her. "Perce, it was your first game back. And it was against Slytherin. I wouldn't miss it for the world. Well, maybe for the whole world..." he trailed off giving her a grin.

Perci rolled her eyes and hugged him again. Fred pushed her back gently and slightly, taking a look at her wound. He touched her skin right below it, not missing the way Perci flinched. "I'm okay. I can stitch it up." Fred pulled out his wand. He placed his hand on her cheek, gently turning her head.

"Tergeo," he muttered. The blood on Perci's face was now gone and her skin began stitching itself back up. He didn't remove his hand from her cheek. All Fred could do was stare at Perci. They were leaning in. Fred had waited for this moment since the last time he kissed her, all of those months ago. He was tired being hurt, and scared, and sad. He didn't have the time of day to be mad at her anymore. Perci had her hands him his jacket, pulling him down, for she was already on her tippy toes.

"Oi! Perci!" A voice called. Perci sighed, gritting her teeth. She let go of Fred, pulling away to turn to the voice. Harry waved her down. "Team talk in locker room!" He called over the noise. He looked past her and gave Fred a stern look. Perci nodded and turned back to Fred.

"Will you–" she began.

"I'll be in the common room waiting." He nodded. Perci gave him one last smile before mounting her broom and flying over the crowd and down to the ground. She hopped off and headed for the locker room.

After Harry had finished his speech, which was very long and boring, if Perci might add, the team went back to celebrating. Perci sat down on the bench by her locker and began taking off her boots and Quidditch robes. She pulled on her jeans when Seamus Finnigan entered the locker room. "Party in the common room!" He yelled before pulling Dean along. Perci grinned and quickly pulled a shirt over her bra and headed out of the locker room with her bag of robes and wand in tow. She felt someone come up behind her.

Harper matched his stride with her. "What are you?" He demanded without look at her.

Perci furrowed her brow. "A woman." He stared at her with a confused look. "I know. Women are a curious species."

"You know that's not what I'm talking about. Your eyes–and you nails," he stuttered.

"Thanks, but I'm not interested." Perci left him in the dust as she hurried off to the castle. Harper stared after her. He was going to have to tell Malfoy there was something odd going on with the girl Potter.

Perci practically ran to the common room just thinking Fred would be there waiting for her. She didn't care about the party or anyone else. She longed to see Fred. It had been too long–almost a full week. Yes, she did miss George, but things with Fred were different. She quietly said the password, which was now S.P.E.W. She wondered how Hermione must've gotten that to happen. As soon as she entered the common room, everyone cheered and whistled. She assumed they must've done that for every team member. She was somehow the last one there. Music blared through the radio. It could barely be heard over the yelling, laughing, and chattering of everyone in the common room. Perci noticed a few Hufflepuffs along the Gryffindor madness. Perci wasn't a fan of tight, crowded spaces like this. Perci looked around for Fred, but came across Ron and Lavender wrapped around each other in a corner practically eating each other's faces. Perci's happy face morphed into one of disgust. Perci saw Harry run off after Hermione and knew that she had seen Ron and Lavender, too.

Perci finally found Fred talking animatedly with Lee Jordan who had been in the hospital wing for getting hexed by some Ravenclaw in Charms. She sat beside Lee and laughed at a horrible pun he had just made. The three of them spoke and joked for a while until Perci informed them that she needed some air. Lee rolled his eyes as Fred followed her closely behind. They reached the balcony of the tower. Perci took a chug of her butterbeer and leaned against the railing, thinking back to Harper. She was anxious just thinking about what rumors he could spread with what he saw. She would need to look into that later. Fred came up beside her. "How are you doing with everything?" He asked. She was sure he must've been talking about the whole Bellatrix, Edgar Roy, animagus thing. She was tired of talking about that. Things were getting better, but she still had a long way to go. Perci was glad she didn't see Bellatrix during the game because she wasn't sure how she would react.

"Better," was all she said. A silence followed. It wasn't awkward, but not exactly one the two enjoyed. "I'm tired of this, Fred." Fred gave her a confused look. "I'm tired of this Voldemort crap, always feeling like I'm terrified of hurting someone because I can't control myself, and I'm tired of you not being comfortable around me. I know things will never be the same because we crossed that line. But I don't want things to be the same. I don't know if you do or not, but–" Fred stopped her speech by pushing her up against the wall and kissing her roughly.

"I definitely don't want to go back to the way things were before. Then, I couldn't do this," he kissed her gently on the lips. "Or this," he kissed her sharp jawline. "Or this," he finally went to her neck and kissed, sucked, and nipped. Perci closed her eyes, relishing the feeling of being close to him. Once again they were interrupted in the worse time for Fred was just taking off her shirt.

Harry walked onto the balcony and stopped abruptly seeing the position his sister and Fred were in. His eyes widened and his jaw went slack. In a matter of seconds, his jaw was set, face pink, and a glare was aimed at the Weasley twin who had backed away from Perci and stared at the ground. Perci hid her red face and chest. "I think it's time to rejoin the party, Perci." Perci was the older out of the Potter siblings, two years older, but she felt as though her bigger, older brother had just caught her making out with a Slytherin or something. Perci knew that now was not the time to test Harry. So she nodded and went to walk toward the entrance of the balcony where Harry stood. "With your shirt." Perci nodded and went back to Fred who still held onto it. He gave it to her, earning a wink. He tried to hide his smile, but it was to no avail. Perci pulled it over her head and walked past Harry and down the steps back to the common room. Harry glared heavily at Fred. He loved the boy like a brother, but not when he was all over his sister. Harry thought about hexing him, but shook it off and left the Weasley.

"Perci, what the hell was that?" He whispered-yelled.

Perci shrugged. "What I assume you want to do to Ginny, brother dear." She glared at him. Harry reddened thinking about Ginny. "I'm sorry, Harry. I know how much you like Ginny. But Fred is the one thing I won't give up for anyone, not even you. I love him." With that, Perci left him to go join Hermione on the couch.

Harry remembered how if Perci was with Fred, Ginny's brother, then he could never be with Ginny. Harry hated the fact, but was willing to give up dating Ginny for he knew that Perci didn't love anyone or anything as much as she loved Fred. Harry would just have to live with it because he couldn't see anything between them dying anytime soon. Harry should learn not to jinx things.


	6. Chapter 6

It had been two weeks since Gryffindor beat Slytherin 140-0 minus Harry's points for catching the Snitch. The hype of the win had finally died down, as did the magnitude of the glares every single Gryffindor player received. Two weeks since Harry caught Perci and Fred on the balcony. He hated the idea of her sister alone with any boy, but it just had to be Ginny's brother. This was the few days of school before the holiday break, and Harry couldn't be more excited to go back to the Burrow. He was excited to spend Christmas with the Weasley's again. Harry was also slightly excited for the Christmas ball Slughorn was having tomorrow night, though he was having trouble finding a date. As of now, he was in the Library with an irritable Hermione. She and Ron wouldn't be caught in the same room, so Harry had to hang out with them separately. It was beginning to get ridiculous.

"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whoever he likes," Hermione huffed, walking toward Harry with a book in her hand. "I really couldn't care less." Harry could obviously see through that lie. "Was I under the impression that he and I would be attending Slughorn's Christmas party together? Yes." She paused and pushed a book back onto the shelf. "Now, given the circumstances, I've had to make other arrangements."

Harry had an idea. Maybe since he and Ginny couldn't go together and Ron and Hermione couldn't, then maybe he and Hermione could go together. "Have you?" He asked.

Hermione turned to him. "Yes, why?"

"Well, I was thinking since we couldn't go with people we really want to go with, we could go together. As friends." Harry explained leaning against a shelf.

Hermione grew red and ran a hand through her bushy hair. She groaned. "Why didn't I think of that?" Harry thought about answering, but figured the question was rhetorical and an answer would only piss the witch off more.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Who're you going with?"

Hermione reddened even further and shuffled her feet. "It's, er, a surprise." Harry could only imagine who she would bring. It couldn't be worse than Viktor Kirk who she attended the Yule Ball with during the Triwizard Tournament two years ago. "Anyway, it's you we've got to worry about." Hermione leaned closer to him. "You can't just take anyone. See that girl over there?" She asked nodding her head to the curly haired girl sitting in the corner, staring at Harry. Harry nodded. "That's Romilda Vane. Apparently she's trying to smuggle you a love potion."

Harry rose a brow, a grin spreading across his face. "Really?" He asked, eyeing her. Hermione scowled and snapped her fingers in his face.

"Hey! She's just interested in you because she thinks you're the Chosen One."

Harry smirked wider. "But I am the Chosen One." Hermione's scowl deepened and she hit him over the head with her Potions essay. Harry blinked. "Okay, okay, sorry. Kidding. Er, I'll ask someone I like. Someone cool," Harry said uncertainly. He racked his brain for girls he liked that were also cool and came up blank. He and Hermione continued to research their Potions essay in the library until it became difficult to keep their eyes open. They agreed to meet up tomorrow to discuss dates for the party. Hermione said he needed to find one before lunch tomorrow. Harry told her even though he was the Chosen One and would be the one to kill Voldemort, he couldn't do the impossible and find a date that fast.

Harry looked around his double Potions class with Ravenclaw for potential dates. Harry glanced over at the Patil sister, but knew they would never go with him again after the Yule Ball in the Triwizard Tournament. Harry looked at the other Gryffindor and Ravenclaw girls but he didn't feel like he would be comfortable with any of them. Then his eyes found Luna Lovegood. She was odd, and nonstop talked about weird things, but she was nice and they were friends. Harry finished his potion and nervously walked up to Luna. Luna could see him before he was even close to her table, though.

"Hello, Harry," her curious, soft voice was distracted as she focused on her potion. She was having trouble gutting the spider the potion required.

"Hey, Luna. D'you need help?" Harry asked politely.

Luna shook her head, finally gutting it and pouring them into the cauldron. "No, thank you. I am sure you didn't come over here to talk about innards, Harry."

Harry's face turned slightly pink. He steeled himself. "Er, I was wondering if you'd like to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with me as friends."

Luna finally moved her odd gaze from the potion and to Harry. Her blue eyes twinkled with curiousness. She smiled softly. "Of course, Harry." Her eyes seemed excited but it didn't reach her voice.

Harry blinked, surprised. "Oh! Brilliant! I'll meet you at the Ravenclaw portrait?" Luna nodded and went back to finishing her potion. Harry nodded with an accomplished grin and went over to Hermione. She and Perci were talking animatedly while Hermione was still working on her potion. He leaned against her table. "Guess who's got a date for the party?" Hermione and Perci stopped talking and looked at him.

"Me?" Perci grinned. She turned to Hermione. "Hermione d'you have one?" Hermione smirked and shrugged her shoulders. "I dunno who?" She asked jokingly.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Me," he stated.

"Who're you going with?" Hermione asked. Perci awaited his answer. She would be pissed if he said Ginny.

"Luna," Harry replied and the Hermione looked behind him with a raised eyebrow. The Ravenclaw girl was sniffing a spoonful of her potion while humming. She stuck her tongue out to taste it, but thought better of it.

"Aw, I love Luna. She's hilarious." Perci grinned.

Hermione gave her an incredulous look. She thought the girl was crazy. Last year she accidentally called her Looney, the name a lot of Gryffindor boys had come up with. "Why didn't you ask Cho or something?"

"Yeah, what happened to her?" Perci glanced over at the dark haired girl talking with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil.

Harry reddened. "Things didn't really work out. She kinda freaked out on me after I took her to Hogsmeade last year," he explained. "And she always talked about Cedric, she probably–" Harry abruptly stopped after Hermione gave him a look to shut up. She glanced at Perci who was looking down at the table with a frown. Harry then remembered what Fred and George had told him his fourth year. Fred and George had caught Cedric _with_ Cho in the Prefect's lavatory and told Perci. Perci never really forgot the incident, but she still thought about it whenever someone brought Cho up. Harry also thought about the rumors he heard his third year about Perci and Cedric being each other's first, doing it out in the meadow behind the Black Lake. Harry used to always think it was a weird place to have sex. The two paved way to numerous couples using that spot. Nowadays, Harry didn't want to think about his sister doing _that._ "Sorry," he muttered. Perci shrugged, as if to say she didn't care, but her friends could tell she did, at least a little.

"What about you, 'Mione? Who're you bringing?" Harry asked, changing the subject. Hermione turned a fair shade pink and went back to her potion, dropping a salamander eye into the cauldron.

"Er, it's a surprise," she murmured.

Perci frowned. "I thought you said–ow!" Hermione had stomped on her foot. "The hell was that for?" She demanded incredulously. Hermione gave her the same shut up look she gave Harry before.

"It's not that huge of a deal, Hermione." Harry said growing irritated every time she wouldn't tell him. "And it's the day of the party! We're gonna find out sooner or later. Just tell us now."

Hermione grit her teeth and glanced back at Ron who, with the help of Slughorn, was actually making his potion correctly. "It's, er, Cormac," she muttered. Harry felt like he had just been slapped across the face.

"Cormac?" He yelled. Everyone looked at him for a minute, and then went back to their Potions. "You're bringing McLaggen?" He whispered this time.

Hermione was now a bright red. Perci controlled her laughed with the back of her hand. "Yes, I am. I thought it was annoy Ron the most," she informed.

"You know what would piss him off? If you took me. Ron hates anyone who touches you and hates anyone who touches me that isn't his brother, so it'd work out." Perci explained. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well, if I have to revert to lesbianism to get a reaction out of Ron, I will."

Perci shrugged. "I mean, it's a win-win. You piss him off _and_ you get to be with me." Perci got up from the table and patted Hermione on the back. "Have fun you two."

"Wait, you never said who you were taking!" Harry called.

Perci turned and grinned. "Oh, I'm taking my dear boyfriend Filtch."

In reality, Perci did not have a date and she would rather eat fifty dung beetles than go anywhere with Filtch. She would ask Fred, but was afraid he'd seen enough of her already. That's what she was discussing with Hermione, boy problems. Perci hadn't had regular, day to day boy problems for a while, since Cedric. To anyone who hadn't been paying attention to her life for the last two years would be confused to hear that Perci actually welcomed the boy problems. She'd rather have those problems over the ones she had usually. So far, Perci had had 3 Occlumency lessons with Snape. With each session, keeping him out of her mind was easier. She hadn't seen Bellatrix or Edgar Roy for three days. She couldn't tell if it were her mind being stronger or just Bellatrix backing off. She wasn't sure why the death eater would back off, but she was thankful for it.

Perci opened up the cupboard by her bed and looked for her dress. It was the same one she wore to the Christmas ball in the Triwizard Tournament two years ago. She was sure someone would have something to say about her wearing the same outfit and going to the party alone, but Perci didn't care. Just as she was pulling on the dress, McGonagall barged into the dormitory frantically. She had something large wrapped up in her arms. The professor looked around, her eyes finally landing on Perci who just stared at her with raised eyebrows.

"Oh! Perci, dear. I was just looking for you. Ms. Granger had told me you went back to the dorm after lunch. I have something for you, and if it does not fit, then I shall make a few alterations to it." Perci didn't say anything as McGonagall unwrapped the thing in her arms. She revealed a long dress. It was long and slightly sheer. White, lacey, flowers covered the chest and went down the length of the dress. It looked like it was once a wedding dress, but was made to look modern and less formal. McGonagall helped her slip it on.

"It's beautiful. Thank you, Professor."

Minerva waved her off. "It was my wedding dress. I had Madame Malkin make a couple alterations to it." The old witch looked at Perci affectionately, like a mother would. She felt a warmth go through her. "You've always been one of my favorite students I've had the pleasure of meeting throughout my teaching and attendance of Hogwarts. You're the bravest woman I know, Perciana, and I know you will live a long, happy life." Perci smiled and hugged the witch. She wasn't exactly sure how to act, her real mother was dead and Perci wasn't sure what to think of Sally anymore, but at that moment, Perci knew she was incredibly happy to be with McGongall.

Suddenly, Hermione came running into the dormitory. She saw the two women and composed herself. The witch walked up to the other two, straightening her robes and looking everywhere but Perci's eyes. "Perci, I know you had doubts whether to ask Fred or not," she started and Perci narrowed her eyes. "But, I invited him. I know you didn't want to be alone tonight and I knew he would've wanted to go with you."

As soon as she finished Fred stepped through the dormitory door awkwardly, shielding his eyes. "Is everyone decent? I don't fancy pissing off a bunch of witches much smarter and powerful than me. I would very much like to keep my penis, thank you." Fred put his hands down, his eyes shut tightly. Perci noticed the small wrinkle of his eye lids and the frown line between his eyes. Fred rambled cautiously, wringing his hands slowly. Perci rolled her eyes with a small grin, pulling heels on.

"No, we're all very naked at the same time, and you should leave immediately before we hex you." She said sarcastically. Sadly, Fred couldn't tell she was being sarcastic and backed up, falling all the way down the stairs. Perci's eyes widened and she darted past the two witches and down the stairs to see Fred laying on the ground, still with his eyes closed. Perci shook her head, the glimmer of a smile crossing her face.

"You, idiot, I was messing with you." She smacked him on the back of his head, earning a guttural sound of protest.

"No need to concuss me more, Perce. I think I've had enough," he muttered, rubbing his head and opening his eyes. He turned a deep red, and stared at her as if it were the first time we was ever seeing her. "Merlin's beard, you look–" he couldn't come up with words to fit her image. Perci was far from perfect. There were many women probably physically more beautiful than her, but Fred would always think she was the most beautiful woman in the world. "Fucking incredible."

Perci turned pink and coughed. "Er, thanks. I, er, did it myself?" She had trouble coming up with a response. She ran a hand through hair awkwardly. Perci looked down at Fred's robes and almost cackled. He was wearing too small pants and a huge dress coat with no robes over the whole outfit. It was a mix of purple and orange and green, but Perci loved it and thought he was insanely, attractively, weird. "You clean up nicely, Freddie." She kissed him on the cheek and pulled him to his feet.

"Thanks, I know–I did it myself." He seemed dazed for a minute, but regained his bearings. Fred glanced down at her, a smirk growing at his thin lips. He fake flipped his short hair.

"Don't get too bratty, Weasley. I know a few things about you that could put you in your place." Perci said, fixing his crooked bow tie. They walked back up the dormitory stairs to see Hermione already ready, pacing while McGongall tried to console her.

"Hermione, calm your tits. It's just one night. You can hang out with Fred and I," Perci offered, crossing her arms and leaning slightly into the Weasley boy.

Hermione stopped and glared at her. "And stand around while you two snog? Not my idea of fun," she shot them down and went back to pacing.

"And what? Getting all touchy-feely with McLaggen is?"

Hermione took a deep breath. "I'm just going to avoid him. Yes, that's a good plan," she told herself. Perci rolled her eyes. It was going to be an interesting night.

As Fred, Perci, Luna, Harry, a silent Hermione, and McLaggen got closer to Slughorn's office they could clearly hear laughter and loud, festive music. Perci was sure it wasn't going to be the muggle Christmas music she grew up listening to and loving. Usually Slughorn's office was smaller, but on this occasion it was huge, bigger than Dumbledore's office. The ceilings were tall and adjourned with glittering bulbs and other decorative items that Perci had never seen before. The room was red tinted, the light coming from a lamp that had real fairies flying about, giving off beautiful light as they went. Students weren't the only people there–Perci could see elderly men and women, about Slughorn's age, talking and drinking alcohol. House elves walked around carrying silver platters of amazing looking food, which Perci told Fred they would have to investigate later. Slughorn greeted the group and immediately pulled Harry and Luna away from them, bringing them to numerous people. Probably talking about the Boy Who Lived. Perci was glad she wasn't the famous one.

Perci pulled Fred toward the buffet of food stacked by the wall and grabbed a seat. "Okay, we are going to have to try everything. Just to make sure what they're putting out here hasn't gone back or expired."

Fred nodded along, staring at the food. "I reckon we'd be doing everyone a favor." The two grabbed all the food they could carry in their arms and brought it back to the table, immediately digging in. By the time they finished that round of food, slower music started to play. Fred got up from his comfortable chair slowly and stretched out his arm. "May I have this dance, dear Prissy?"

Perci acted as though she was thinking about it, really contemplating the pros and cons of the request. "I dunno. Do you want me to step on your feet again?" She asked, a dark brow raised.

"It would be an honor for the great Perci Potter to crush my immaculate, toned feet." Perci smirked, rolling her eyes she took his arm. They headed out to the dance floor. The two danced for a while, Perci laughing every time she stepped on his feet. And Fred trying to hold back grimaces and groans of pain, but loving every single moment of it. "Perci," he started, "you never told me where you were going for Christmas break. Last year we all happened to be at the Grimmauld Place, and you usually come over for at least half the break at the Burrow with us."

"I was hoping to go back to the Burrow, but I was waiting for an invitation." Perci paused, and looked down at her feet awkwardly. "I feel liked I've forced my presence on you guys."

Fred shook his head with a frown. "Don't be daft. You're always invited to stay with us. It's your home as much as ours." _You're my home_ , Fred thought. Apparently he voiced his thoughts, seeing as Perci took on a serious look, staring up at him. Her eyes glimmered like an emerald.

Her brow furrowed. "You're my home too, Freddie." Fred turned red, but grinned like a mad man. Perci often overthought big things. She overthought whether or not she should attend Hogwarts when she was eleven. She overthought entering the Triwizard Tournament. She overthought her romantic relationship with every boy or girl she'd had. She also didn't think at all sometimes. Most of her actions (every single one she made at Camp Half-Blood) she didn't give a single thought to. So far, those are the ones that have worked out the best. Perci couldn't help overthinking things with Fred, though. "What is this?"

Fred gave her a confused look. "This is dancing, Perce. I can imagine you don't know what it is, because you are quite terrible at it."

Perci shook her head. "That's not what I meant, Fred. I mean, what are we?" Fred froze. The big 'What are we? Are we dating or what?' conversion. Fred wasn't sure what they were. He knew what he wanted, and was pretty sure he knew what Perci wanted. Why was this conversation so big or important?

He waited for a minute before answering. "I know I'm in love with you, Perci. I've told you. And I'm pretty sure I know how you feel about me," they went back to their table to take a break from dancing.

"You aren't completely sure?" It shocked Perci a little bit. She had always thought her feelings for Fred were obvious. Maybe she couldn't tell. Andrew always did call her oblivious. "I want to be with you in every humanly way possible." Perci steeled her nerves for what she wanted to say next. "Because I'm in love with you," she finished. It was scary, but the good kind of scary. It was the first time she fully said it out loud. Perci fingered the tablecloth, glancing up at him. Fred's smile grew even bigger, if that were possible. He felt giddy inside like he was eleven again, and had just gotten his Hogwarts letter. Without a second thought to who was watching, Fred pulled Perci's chair toward him and pulled her onto him, kissing her. Perci instinctively placed a hand on his face and wound the other up in his hair. If anyone was uncomfortable with their public display of affection, no one said anything to them (and the two couldn't care less).

Meanwhile, Harry had been talking to another author who wanted to write his life's story, to which Harry refused once again. Luna had been standing next to him the whole time, watching the Vampire, Sanguini, who had come with the author, Eldred Worple. She had thought the Vampire coming to the party would be the new minister, Rufus Scrimgeour, as her father told her. She was sadly disappointed to see the tall, pale, long black haired, and red eyed man that looked nothing like the minister.

Harry needed to somehow get out of the conversation he was in. He was about to ask Luna to dance, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw a bushy haired girl disappear into a set of curtains. "Er, excuse me, I've just seen a friend of mine..." with that he pulled Luna into the crowd of dancers, past the author and vampire, past Slughorn, past Fred snogging his sister (he'd have to revisit that later), past the Weird Sisters, and finally made it to the curtains he saw Hermione sweep into. "Hermione? _Hermione_!" He whispered, looking around to see if anyone was watching him. He didn't need anyone else thinking he was mad. Hermione peeked her head out of the curtains. "What're you doing?"

"I've just escaped." She sounded out of breath and was as red as a tomato. "I left Cormac under the mistletoe."

"That's what you get for bringing him," Harry said unapologetically. Harry looked to his side to see Luna wandering off to Professor Trelawney. He'd talk to her later.

"He makes Grawp look like a gentleman," Hermione muttered. Harry remembered back to last year when Hagrid showed him, Ron, and Hermione his giant brother, Grawp. He had promptly picked up Hermione and wouldn't let her go until she screamed at him. Harry wondered jokingly if Cormac had tried to pick her up like that. Hermione looked through the curtains, seeing Cormac make his way over to them. She quickly disappeared again without a word. Cormac pushed open the curtains, seeing Harry standing there alone and awkwardly.

"Seen Hermione anywhere?" He asked.

Harry shook his head. "No, sorry." Cormac shrugged and left to go look for her. Harry was about to leave the curtains when they swung apart, revealing a stone faced Severus Snape. He looked no different than he usually did. His greasy black hair was swept back from his face. He was, of course, dressed in all black, making his skin look even more blanche. His dark eyes were cold looking at him, his nose slightly crinkled from the flare of his nostrils as he looked at Harry. He looked as if he smelled something putrid.

"Potter," his voice was monotonous as usual, not displaying any emotion that could make Harry believe that Snape was an actual human being. Harry nodded and went to follow a long gone McLaggen just as Snape stopped him. "Not so fast," he said through his teeth.

Harry stopped, shutting his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Oh, sir. My date, she–"

"Can surely survive the lack of your presence another moment. Besides," he continued, "I only wish to convey a message." Harry frowned and turned to the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.

"A message?" Harry asked. The only people Harry could think would want to send him a message were Dumbledore or someone from the Order.

Snape sent him a light glare for not allowing him to finish. "From Professor Dumbledore. He asked that I give you his best and that he hopes you enjoy your holiday. You see, he's traveling and won't return until term resumes." Harry gave him a confused look. Why would Dumbledore leave when they're right on the verge of figuring Slughorn out?

"Traveling? Where?" Harry questioned. Snape merely stared at him silently, briefly, before leaving, taking Harry's gaze with him, to Slughorn once again, wildly gesturing with a full glass of wine. The wine slipped from his glass, shattering in the floor, drawing everyone's attention. In front of him, Filch was dragging along a complaining and cursing Malfoy by the collar.

"Professor Slughorn," he began, his lisp prominent, "I discovered this boy lurking in an upstairs corridor. He claims to have been invited to your party." Malfoy scowled, tearing himself free of Filtch's grasp just as all the party go-ers were approaching the interaction. His eyes caught Perci and Harry's and he grew pale.

"All right, I wasn't invited. I was just trying to hate-crash, happy?" His tone was fierce as he straightened his slick black suit. Filtch was about to rebuttal, but Snape cut him off.

"I'll take it from here, Argus." His voice was different from what Harry had heard for 5 years. There was a panicked undertone. One wouldn't be able to catch it if they hadn't known Snape for all those years.

"Oh, Severus, it's all right. It's Christmas, for Heaven's sake! Don't be to hard on him. Let the boy stay..." Slughorn said. Snape slowly turned to face the Potion's Master. His eyes were dull as he looked at the older man. They caught Perci's, who was stand to the left of Slughorn. She held tightly onto Fred Weasley's arm as he stood behind her with a protective hand on her hip. Fred was glaring at Malfoy, but Perci wasn't. She was staring right at Snape with confusion in her eyes. It made Snape think back to the Unbreakble Vow he made before term started. Snape could only imagine the look she'd give him when he–. She looked just like her, lovely Lily...just like her mother. It crushed Snape.

"I am his Head of House, and I shall decide how hard, or otherwise, to be. Follow me, Draco." Malfoy followed Snape out of the room and to a free hallway. Perci saw Harry whisper something to Luna and followed them out, too. Perci shook her head, knowing Harry was up to no good, as usual. She'd take it up with him later.

"Alright, everyone. Carry on! Carry on!" Slughorn announced and the music started playing again, as did the loud chatter and merriment. Hours later–after more eating, dancing, kisses, and picture taking–Fred and Perci decided to turn in for the night. Neither of them were tired. Perci just wanted to get away from everything. To breathe for a moment. Fred took Perci up to the balcony of the Gryffindor common room. They didn't need to talk. Perci leaned against Fred's chest as she played with his hand. The two couldn't careless about how late it was or the cold wind whipping. Perci warmed both of them, her skin hot with a gold tint. Fred placed his chin on top of Perci's head.

The girl–the woman. Perci wasn't just that girl that took Fred and his brother under her wing in the twins' first year. She wasn't that girl who didn't take anything seriously and joked about everything anymore. She wasn't justice girl Fred had a crush on. She was a woman who had been through a terrifying hell. She was a woman who still had her secrets and Fred knew it. She was a woman and Fred had never loved anything more than her.

Perci had felt an odd sense of deja vu as she sat alone in her compartment on the Hogwarts Express, waiting for Hermione. Perci remembered the last time she had been in her and the twins' compartment. She hadn't gone in it since the twins left Hogwarts. Perci looked around at it. On the outside it looked like any other compartment in the Hogwarts express. The walls a deep mahogany and the seats varying in scarlet and emerald. Carved into the wooden wall just below the window were three names.

Perci J.

George W.

Fred W.

Perci frowned looking at the J after her name. She remembered carving their names in the wood in the twin's third year and Perci's fourth, back when Perci was still a demigod daughter of Poseidon and Sally Jackson's–back when she never knew her true parents. Perci wondered if she was still considered a demigod. Did Poseidon even know or care for her? Did Camp Half-Blood know their leader, ex-leader, wasn't an actual daughter of Poseidon? Her control over water had faded many months ago. Perci missed it. She missed her demigod friends even more. She had seen them over summer break, but if felt like years. So much has happened since then. Perci was excited to visit them during Holiday break.

Perci summoned a nail from Hermione's bag she left sitting in the seat in front of her. She traced the J with her finger before turning it into a P with the nail. Perci blew away at the wood dust, and smiled proudly at the P just as Hermione entered the compartment in a huff. She plopped down on the plush, red seat and crossed her arms with a scowl.

Perci raised a brow at her. "What's wrong with you?"

Hermione stared out the window with a clenched jaw, but turned back to Perci. "Lavender Brown," was all she said. Perci sighed and nodded understandingly. Lavender and Ron had been dating for about two weeks, ever since the night Gryffindor beat Slytherin. Ron and Lavender had been showboating their relationship all across the castle, not sparing Hermione a glance. It killed her. Hermione drew her attention away from the window and to the piece of parchment beside Perci. She quieted at it, trying to read the print.

"What's that?" She questioned, nodding at the paper. Perci grabbed it and handed it to the witch. Hermione frowned, her eyes widening slightly. "Hit wizard application?" She muttered. Hermione seemed to put it together after a moment and slammed the paper down on her lap. "You aren't applying to become a hit witch, are you?" Her voice was low, a hissing whisper as she leaned toward Perci. Perci merely shrugged her shoulders and looked out the window. "Perci, do you know how dangerous that is? It's arguably the most dangerous job you can have in the Ministry!" Perci didn't say anything. Hermione leaned back in her seat, huffing. "I thought you wanted to be a professional Quidditch player or–or a Potions professor?"

Perci scoffed. "I've changed Hermione. The world has changed." She took back the application. "D'you think the world needs another Quidditch player or a teacher? No." She didn't seem to be getting through to the 6th year. "I want–I need to make a difference. Playing some stupid sport won't help anything."

It was silent for a few minutes, Hermione thinking of a good rebuttal, or something to deter her from filling out that application. "Have you thought about the risks?" Perci nodded. "And what about Fred? What would he say?"

Perci rolled her eyes. "Fred'll get over it–it's not even his decision to make. Plus, it means extra protection and more ties in the Ministry that the Order doesn't already have," she explained.

Hermione rubbed her temples, shutting her eyes. This would not end well for Perci. She thought that after all the danger the girl had been in, she might want to stay as far away from it as she could. But that was not the case. Then a thought occurred to Hermione just as Harry and Ron walked into the compartment. "Do you get off on it–danger?"

Harry sputtered at that. He glanced over at Hermione who was glowering at an incredulous, red-faced Perci. Harry looked over at Ron who had the same look on his face. "I think we walked in at the wrong time," he muttered to his friend. Ron nodded with wide eyes.

"What? No! I don't get off on danger, Hermione," Perci replied through gritted teeth. Hermione and Perci didn't pay any attention to the two boys now in the compartment.

Hermione stood. She was furious about Perci's decision and let her anger get the best of her. "Then what do you get off on? Recklessness? Needlessly putting your life at risk?"

Perci had a bamboozled look on her face, her mouth hanging open in astonishment that that conservation was even happening. "I dunno anyone that gets turned on by any of that, Hermione, you're being _ridiculous_." Hermione gave her an exaggerated eye roll. Ron and Harry looked back and forth between the two. "You wanna know what I get off on then?!" She began standing up. Harry decided now was the time to intervene. He did not want to know what his sister "got off on".

He stepped in between the two girls. "Okay! No one wants to know that, Perci." Perci scowled at him, throwing a childish comeback at him with her arms crossed. "What is this even about?" He asked exasperatedly, crossing his arms and looking at Hermione.

Hermione opened her mouth, but stopped when she caught Perci's eyes. The girl was giving her a look to not say anything. Hermione didn't like lying, but thought it better for Perci to tell Harry herself, maybe later. Hermione scrambled her brain, trying to think of anything that would even begin to make sense. "Er, feminine...d-desires?" Perci gave her another incredulous look from behind Harry's back. Though, when Harry turned around to look at his sister, Perci furiously nodded along with Hermione. Harry gave them a disgusted look, but plopped down next to Hermione, so she didn't have to sit by Ron. Ron sat next to Perci, scooting away from her, muttering "feminine desires" while glancing at Hermione ever so often.

The four of them enjoyed the long and awkward train ride back to Kings Cross Station.

As soon as Perci pushed open the door to the Burrow she was pulled into a bone-crushing hug that only could've been from Molly Weasley. Molly let go of her and kissed her on both cheeks. "My dear!" She had squealed before moving onto Ginny, Ron, and then finally Harry. She preceded to ask where Hermione was, and then remembered that she was with her muggle family. At the sound of the word _muggle,_ Arthur Weasley popped out of the kitchen with wide, twinkling eyes, "Muggle! Where?" Perci heard the loud sound of feet bounding down the steps, two pairs of them. Everyone looked up to see Fred and George almost falling down the stairs. George pushed past his cursing brother and practically jumped on Perci, ruffling her hair. Perci laughed and doing the same to him.

"I missed you, dear Prissy," George said as Fred came up behind him. "Though, admittedly not as much as Freddie," he whispered, giving her wink. Perci rolled her eyes, but stopped mid-roll when Fred finally came into her view. Perci pulled the tall boy by the waist into a brief, but tight hug. Everyone grew quiet, feeling as though they were intruding on Fred and Perci.

Molly clapped her hands and grabbed George by the arm. "Alrighty, I just pulled a batch of butterscotch tarts out of the oven..." her voice faded as everyone but Fred and Perci went into the kitchen. As soon as everyone was out of sight Fred pushed Perci by her hips against the picture ridden wall and kissed her as if he hadn't seen her for ages. In reality, they had only been apart for a day. Perci kissed him back roughly, pulling him against her by his shirt. After a minute, they pulled away breathing heavily. Fred leaned his forehead against Perci's.

"Missed me?" Perci laughed. Fred rolled his eyes and pulled her in for a hug, leaning his head against hers.

Fred grinned. "Whenever we're apart, yes." Fred pulled away. He kissed her forehead before the two walked into the kitchen. George jumped right in front of them with an excited look on his face. He had a purple briefcase in hand with three orange Ws on the front. "Perci, we made so many new products for you to try!"

Perci gave him a look. "George, I told you before. I'm not testing anymore products for you. Not after what happened the last time." Perci shivered just thinking about the boils Madam Pomfrey had to scrape off of every inch of her body. It was incredibly painful. Never again, she vowed.

George gave her a puppy dog face. "But it's Christmas," he whined.

Perci rolled her eyes and looked back and forth between the twins. She sighed. It couldn't be as bad as the last batch. "Fine, show me the products." Fred and George practically dragged her up to their old room. Perci spent the rest of the day testing their new products. The twins spent the rest of the night trying to reverse the effects.

Perci readjusted the stainless steel pot on her hip, and wiped the raindrops from her eyes. She kneeled down and tugged at the carrot, pulling it from the ground. Perci wiped away at the dirt and worms before putting it in her pot. It was beginning to get a little heavy; she had been collecting vegetables for an hour along with Fred. Harry and Ron scoured the land behind the Burrow disposing of pesky gnomes. George was inside the Burrow, helping Molly clean the first batch of vegetables Perci had gathered. Perci sat her pot down, and put her hands on her hips. She looked around, grinning at Ron and Harry over in the far field. A gnome was clutching onto Harry's ears. Harry was trying to run away from Ron, who had his wand out and pointed at Harry.

Perci heard a loud, girlish yelp. Perci looked up, her eyes searching for the origin of the very not-manly sound. She found Fred holding his ankle with his wand out, pointing it at a giggling, evil gnome. "Stupefy!" He held. A harsh, red light left his wand, and hit the gnome directly in the face. Fred relaxed with a sigh. Perci picked up her pot and made her way to Fred. He sat down on the damp ground, rolling up his blue jeans to look at his ankle. It was only bleeding a little bit, but Perci felt a tug at her heart seeing him grimace. Fred looked up, hearing the soft sound of her feet, squishing against the mud and wet grass.

She set the pot down and knelt over his ankle. Perci concentrated, thinking of every single terrible thing that's ever happened to her or the people she loved. Her face contorted, silver tears falling from her eyes. Fred frowned in confusion. "Perce, what–what're you doing?" His voice was laced in concern. He noticed the silver tears, and was even more confused. Why was she crying? His wound was merely a 'boo-boo', as muggles call it. He reached out for her, as the first tear fell from her cheek, leaving behind a shining silver trail. Fred watched in awe as it dropped onto the center of his tiny wound. A few more tears followed. The silver began to spread across his wound, seeping into it. In seconds the wound was completely healed. It was as if the gnome hadn't bit him. Fred looked up from his ankle to to Perci. She looked as surprised as he did.

"I didn't know you could do that," Fred muttered, his mouth agape.

Perci looked up at him, shaking away her shock. "Me neither. Just got a feeling."

"Isn't that one of a Phoenix's power? Healing tears? Can't they heal anything with them?" Fred berated her with questions.

Perci ran a hand through her hair. "Almost anything. Harry told me about how Fawkes healed his basilisk wound in the Chamber of Secrets. I didn't think that would work..." she trailed off, slightly overwhelmed with her newfound ability. No one had told her about it–not Snape, not Sirius, not Chiron. Did they just not know? Were they keeping things from her? She would have to talk to Snape about it soon. Perci got up, wiping away the silver residue from her cheek. She needed to go somewhere to think. She needed to clear her mind. Fred hopped up, and grabbed her by the hand just as she turned to leave.

"What's wrong?"

Perci turned back to him. "Nothing. I dunno. I'm just...overwhelmed." Perci was used to have power, power only over water. And just before she found out about her true heritage, she was working on controlling the earth. This kind of power was different. It drained the hell out of her. Just crying a few tears tired her out. Flying tired her out. And her control over fire tired her out. But at the same time, she felt stronger. The whole fire part was odd to Perci, though. She spent most of her life controlling water, and now to control the exact opposite–it made Perci feel different, sometimes not herself. She wished she could tell Fred her demigod past, but she was terrified that he would treat her differently.

"I get it. This is something new that you have to deal with," he said in a soft tone. Perci smiled at his attempt. She kissed him on the cheek, picked up her pot, and headed back to the Burrow.

On Christmas morning, Perci was awoken by a jumping Fred and George on her small, creaking bed. They yelled for her to get up, to go downstairs with them to unwrap presents. George tugged at her arm while Fred nonstop poked her cheek.

"Gimme 5 more minutes..." Perci groaned groggily.

"Prissy, your 5 minutes always turns into an hour," George complained. He turned to his brother. Fred sighed, but nodded. The twins conjured up a large bucket of water. "On 3, this time, Fred."

"1...2...3!" The next thing Perci knew she was soaked. Perci launched herself at them in a rage. She pushed both of them to the ground tickling them. Fred and George hated tickling. When she was finally out of breath, Perci got up, pealing off her wet shirt and shorts. George elbowed his brother to stop staring. "Let's go wake the others up." George pulled his brother out of them room. He poked his head back in. "If you aren't down in 5 minutes we will set Ginny on you." Perci's eyes widened, just thinking about a few Christmas' ago when she didn't get up on time, and Ginny literally pulled her down the Burrow stairs. The witch nodded and hurriedly began changing.

Perci pulled on her Weasley sweater, grinning at the gold PP on the front. She sifted through her drawers, looking for her favorite pajama pants. They were Fred's. It was his Christmas present to her many years ago. Almost every night at Hogwarts, Perci would sneak up to the boy dormitory and steal his pajama pants, saying hers weren't cozy enough. It had been one of her favorite gifts she'd ever received. Perci went over to her bed. She pulled out a small bag that magically held everyone's gifts. Perci grinned as she headed down the steps. All of the teenagers were up. Ron and Harry were playing wizards chess on the coffee table. Ginny was inspecting all the wrapped gifts. Fred was whispering to a very tired looking Arthur and Molly. George had come up behind Perci and snatched her bag up. "More presents, Ginny!" He called. Perci rolled her eyes and continued down the steps. George dumped the contents out on the floor under the large tree. Fred moved toward her, but Harry cut him off, throwing an arm around his sister.

"Good morning, Perce. How'd you sleep? Alone, I hope," he said all in one breath. He handed her a warm cup of coffee.

"It was fine. And yes, I slept alone," she replied exasperatedly.

Harry nodded along as they came to a stop and sat on the ground by Ron. "Good, good. Have any dreams?" He asked quietly. "About Roy or Bellatrix?" Perci stiffened, gritting her teeth at those two names.

"No. Snape's Occlumency lessons have helped a lot. I haven't seen them for weeks."

Harry frowned. "Do you think that's a good or bad sign?" Perci gave him a confused look. "What if they're just waiting to strike at you when you're least expecting it?"

Perci shrugged. "I dunno," was all she said. Harry could tell she wanted the topic to be done with, but would revisit it later when they were alone.

Molly walked over to stand in front of the tree. She clapped her hands. "Alright, let's begin!" She was almost as excited as Ginny. Molly blindly picked up a very long gift and tossed it at Ron who barely caught it, earning a 'keeper' remark from Harry. Ron told him to shut it and tore apart the paper. His eyes widened, seeing a bright orange crest painted onto the dark brown wood of the Chudley Cannons broomstick. He turned a bright pink, tracing Galvin Gudgeon's, the Seeker of the Chudley Cannons, signature. Molly let out a surprised gasp. "Who's it from, Ronald?" Ron blinked and turned over the gift tag. His face broke out into a grin.

"Bloody hell, Perci! How'd you afford this?"

Perci shrugged with a smile as Ron gave her a crushing hug. Perci patted him on the back. She got up and carefully grabbed her gift to Harry. It was in a large, sloppily wrapped box. She handed it to her brother and sat down. Harry opened his gift, pulling out a small vial of what looked like swirling black smoke. He then pulled out what looked like a decorative plate. He frowned, but then realized what was in the vial. "Your memories?" He gave her a confused look. Harry assumed she had already put them back where they belonged, in her head.

Perci nodded at the Pensieve. "I thought you might want to watch them together," she said in a soft voice. Harry smiled at her and nodded. She delayed having the one thing she had wanted for a whole year, just so they could share it.

"I'd love that." Molly handed Ginny her gift. She waited in anticipation to see if her daughter liked her gift. Ginny gave her mom a hug, clutching the Holyhead Harpies knitted sweater to her chest. Next, Molly unwrapped her present from Perci, which turned out to be a full set of new colors and patterns of yarn. Fred and George exchanged different products of Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Harry had gotten Arthur a box of different kinds of muggle tools and knick-knacks. Arthur hurried off to his shed to investigate them. Everyone received a pair of multicolored socks from Molly with their initials sewed into them. The rest of the morning went on with gift giving, laughter, and hugs, until Fred came up behind Perci.

Perci stopped her argument about how the Quidditch team Puddlemere United was a much better all-around team than the Holyhead Harpies. Fred was glad he interrupted when he did because it looked as if Ginny was about to tie her new sweater around Perci's neck and strangle her. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" He whispered. Perci turned, her eyes turning from stormy to bright as she looked up at him. She nodded and got up, allowing Fred to lead her into the hall. He pulled out a small, emerald box. Perci's eyes widened, taking a step back. She felt as though she was going to vomit. They had just started dating days ago. Perci didn't think Fred was dumb enough to propose to her.

"Fred–" she began, but Fred held up a hand.

"Just hear me out," he said. Fred palmed the box nervously. Perci shut her eyes, but nodded. "This isn't an engagement ring." Perci sighed in relief. "But it is a ring. A ring I hope you'll accept," he muttered the last bit under his breath. He opened the box. In it lay a gold band. The emerald in it seemed to move with the light. It shone in Fred's chocolate colored eyes. Engraved on the gold band was a beautiful script Perci had never seen. " _Always_. As in, you'll always come back to me. You remember saying that? We were at Grimmauld place on the balcony that branched out from the attic. The sun was setting." Fred smiled before continuing. "The way the sun shone on your face, I thought you weren't even real. You were leaving to go God-knows-where. It was after Sirius died. You said, 'I'll be back. I'll always come back to you. Always.'" Perci nodded, remembering. That was the day they first kissed. It wasn't the best kiss she had ever had, but it was the most meaningful. "You eventually did. It took a while, but you've come back to me. And this–this ring is a reminder that _I_ will always come back to you, I promise." Fred knelt down and took her hand. "For the rest of your life, there won't be a day where you'll question if you're coming home to me. Or a day where you wonder if I'll be there for you. I always will." Perci noticed the forming of tears at the corners of his eyes. _Those eyes. God,_ they melted her to her very core. Fred cleared his throat. "So, accept this promise ring, and I promise I'll always come back to you."

All Perci could do was stare down at him, her mouth agape and eyes wide. She kind of felt numb, except for the warmness in her chest fluttering about. She could also feel a tug at the corners of her mouth. Her chest ached for him. Her mind ached for him. Perci felt her head nod up and down slowly. Fred's face broke out into a large smile, his eyes and nose crinkling. He shakily pushed the ring onto her right ring finger and picked her up, giving her the ump-teenth bone-crushing hug she received that week. "I love you," he whispered into her neck.

"I love you," she said unto his hair.

Harry was sitting next to his sister, who held a bowl of cauldron cakes, and was eating them one after another. She was listening to Ron, who sat on her right.

"'Tell me you love me' she says. 'Tell me how lucky you are to have me'. 'Tell me I'm pretty' she says." Ron was complaining about his current girlfriend, Lavender Brown. Perci had a disgusted look on her face. Lavender Brown irritated her to no end. She remembered all the rumors the girl had spread about her. Hermione and Ginny had to hold her back from punching the girl in the face when she said one snide comment about her.

"Pretty fucking annoying," Perci sneered. Arthur and Remus gave her pointed looks at the language. Harry had to stifle his laughter. Remus and Tonks had arrived an hour ago with a boundless amount of sweets. Perci had hugged them both and then stolen the cauldron cakes.

"Language, Perciana," Molly called from the kitchen.

Perci's eyes widened. "She had super-hearing, I swear," she murmured to Ron. Ron nodded furiously, thinking back to all the times his mother caught him cursing.

"Mr. Weasley," Harry began, grabbing the man's attention. "Do you remember what we talked about at Kings Cross before school?" Harry was referring to his concerns about Draco Malfoy being a death eater. He told him what he heard between Snape and Draco the night of Slughorn's party.

"I checked, Harry. I went and searched the Malfoy's house. There was nothing there that shouldn't have been there." Perci stopped eating at the sound of Malfoy Manor. She shivered.

Harry sighed. "Yeah, I know. I saw in the Daily Porphet that you looked, but this is something different...Well, something more." He preceded to tell him what he heard between Snape and Draco the night of Slughorn's party.

"Draco's plotting something, I know

it, something to do with Voldemort. He's been given a task or a mission - and Snape was offering to help," Harry tried explaining.

"Voldemort has chosen Draco Malfoy

for a mission?" Lupin wasn't convinced.

Harry shook his head. "I know it sounds mad–"

Lupin rubbed his eyes. "Has it occurred to you, Harry, that Snape was simply pretending to offer Draco help so that he could find out what he's up to?" It made sense, but Harry didn't believe that.

"That's not what it sounded like," Harry retorted.

Perci grew irritated with Harry. "And you're completely sure that Snape is in cahoots with Draco, who is a death eater. That makes Snape an avid servant of Lord Voldemort. Bellatrix is too." Harry nodded, but Perci continued. "Then why would Snape help me shut Bellatrix out, and in turn, shut Voldemort out. Why would he have helped me for the past year and a half? Why is that Harry?"

Harry shrugged. "Maybe he has a crush on you, Perce."

Perci rolled her eyes. "This is serious, Harry."

"I know. I'm being serious. He made an unbreakable vow with Draco. You weren't there, you didn't hear. You were too busy snogging Fred to pay attention to what was going on around you," Harry said bitterly.

Perci glared at him. She wasn't going to let him accuse Snape any longer. She sure as hell wasn't going to let him bring Fred into this. "I wouldn't be here without Snape. So, I trust him. You should, too."

"Perci is right, Harry. Dumbledore trusts Snape. Therefore, I do," Remus interjected.

Tonks put a calming hand on Lupin's shoulder. "Perhaps Harry's right, Remus. To make an Unbreakable Vow, after all–"

"It comes down to whether or not

you trust Dumbledore's judgement. He trusts Snape," Lupin interrupted.

Harry ran a hand through his hair. "Dumbledore makes mistakes. He said so himself–"

"You're blinded by hatred!"

"No, I'm not," Harry began to reason.

Lupin got up. "You are! People are disappearing, Harry. Daily. We can only put our trust in a handful of people. If we start fighting amongst ourselves, we're doomed," his tone was sharp and barking. Harry wanted to argue with him, but a furtive look from Tonks stopped him. 'Leave it,' she pleaded with her eyes. Fred tentatively came over to the couch. Arthur glanced between Perci and his son, before motioning for Ron and Harry to follow him. Harry and Ron gave the two a look before heading to the shed with Arthur.

Fred plopped down next to Perci with a large grin on his face. He took the bowl of cauldron cakes from her grasp and shoved two in his mouth. Perci palmed the vial in her pocket.

"I got you something," she said. Fred put the bowl on the coffee table and scooted closer to her. Remus and Tonks took that as their que to head to the kitchen. Perci pulled the vial out and handed it to Fred. It was small and filled to the top with a silver liquid, Perci's tears, Fred noticed. He felt a tug at his heart thinking about Perci staying up and crying just to fill the vial to the brim. He moved onto the feather held to the lid with a rubber band. It was glimmering and beautiful. The bottom of the feather was a bright gold. It faded into various oranges and at the top was a deep scarlet. It was one of her feathers. She must've had it plucked while she was in her animagus form. "It's my tears, and a feather. I thought that if you ever needed healing that a spell couldn't fix, those might," Perci explained, nodding at the vial. "And the feather. It's just decoration I guess. I–" Fred set the vial down gently and kissed Perci hard, pulling her onto his lap.

"I love it," he was slightly breathless. He would probably need the tears one day. Hopefully, not too soon.

It was late when Remus and Tonks announced that they needed to leave. Perci, George, and Fred were joking on the couch. Harry and Ron were looking out the window into the field. Molly and Arthur followed Remus and Tonks outside and stopped in the doorway.

"Are you sure you can't stay any longer?" Molly asked, look at Tonks. Arthur was staring at Remus who was staring off at the reeds in front of the house. His nostrils flared subtly.

Tonks gave her a squeeze on the shoulder. "No, we should go." She looked at Remus and then back at Molly. "The first night of the cycle's always the worst," she nodded at the moon. Arthur glanced down at Lupin's white knuckles.

"Remus?" He asked cautiously.

In the other room, Perci was cackling loudly at a joke George had made about Fred. Fred was sitting in the middle of the with his arms crossed, a small smile gracing his face. He shook his head and elbowed George in the ribs. George retaliated, and soon they were rolling on the floor. Perci laughed loudly as they tried to pin each other down. Suddenly, she felt a cold hand on her neck. Her stomach dropped and the scars all over her body burned. She felt something wet run across her neck. Perci turned around quickly. Her heart stopped beating.

Bellatrix Lestrange stood behind the couch. She looked the same as Perci last saw her. Her dark hair was a complete mess atop her head. Her crazy eyes were lined in black makeup, her lips the color of blood. Of course she wore only black. It stood out against her blanche skin. A long scar ran across her face from her jaw to the base of her hairline. Bellatrix smiled sweetly at her, her eyes dark with blood lust and other kinds of lust.

"Hello, darling." With that her body turned into thick, black smoke and burst through the roof of the Burrow. Perci stood there shocked. Was that real? Was it just in her head?

Fred and George hurriedly got up from the floor. She felt Fred grab her arm, but immediately drew it back, cursing about her burning arm. "Perci? What was that? Was that–" his voice faded.

Outside, flames moved from the reeds to encircle the Burrow. Perci could hear Fred calling her name to get her to stop. She wasn't listening, though. All she could hear were the screams in her head and the cackling. Her eyes were on fire as she made her way out of the house. She stood in front of the doorway, looking for Bellatrix. She heard Molly, Arthur, Tonks, and Remus yell for her. She even felt a large hand grasp her shoulder, but he pulled it back from the heat. Harry came up beside her, his eyes racking the marsh. His eye caught a flash of pale skin. Harry sprinted toward the fire fast. That seemed to snap Perci out of it. She realized that he could burn to death if he tried jumping the flame.

"Harry, no!" But just as Harry was about to become a crisp, the fire opened itself up for him as he jumped into the reeds. Perci took out her wand and didn't hesitate to run after him, the fire needlessly parting for her and Remus and Tonks who sprinted after the two. Perci pushed through the marsh and reeds running as fast as she could.

"I killed Sirius Black!" Bellatrix chanted over and over again. She knew that wound Perci and Harry up. Perci past Harry in less than a few seconds. She should thrown him back, put him out of danger, but she was now too focused on the death eater.

"Bellatrix!" Perci screeched, her voice not recognizable. She heard a cackle in response. Perci ignored the pain in her side as she kept running. Finally, she came to a stop at a clearing in the reeds. Bellatrix wasn't in sight. Perci pulled out her wand. She felt Harry, Remus, and Tonks come up behind her, all with their wands out.

Perci stiffened suddenly. She could _smell_ Bellatrix and one of her companions. A werewolf. Her nose scrunched up at the smell of wet dog. "Show yourself!" She screeched again.

Without any notice, a red light emerged from the reeds heading straight for Perci. She quickly did a blocking charm, shielding herself and the others. "No! She's _mine_ ," Perci heard. A black smoke pushed up from the ground and into the sky. She could sense it was Bellatrix. She wasn't going to let her get away again. Ignoring the cries for her to stop, Perci pushed off the ground in a orange flame. It followed Bellatrix through the sky.

Perci swiped her talons at Bellatrix as they moved through the stars. Bellatrix dodged and sent a curse her way. Perci didn't have her wand out in time. It hit her straight in the chest. With a scream, she plummeted to the ground leaving a stream of fire in her wake. She landed right next to Harry, who was dueling another death eater. Perci paid no mind to him.

Bellatrix landed easily in front of her with a sick grin. The death eater licked her rotting teeth as she looked the girl up and down. Perci pulled her wand out. "Stupefy!" She yelled. Bellatrix blocked it with ease. The death eater sent her own curse, which Perci blocked. They threw curse after curse at each other until Perci had had enough. She summoned every ounce of anger and fear she ever had for the witch and focused. "AVAD–" she was cut off when her wand flew from her hand. Perci's head shot to the right. Harry. He had a dark look on his face as he pointed his wand at Perci. He had disarmed her before she could finish Bellatrix off.

Bellatrix, the werewolf, and the other death eater took this time to turn to smoke and fly off into the sky. Perci continued to glare heavily at Harry, her teeth grit and talons digging into her hand. Rage like she had never felt consumed her; she was distracted for a moment when the Burrow was set on fire. Her eyes widened, rage rushing out of her system as she thought of Fred who could've been inside the Burrow. Her heart dropped.

Perci quickly transformed into her animagus and set off towards the Burrow. She landed roughly on the ground in her human form and ran toward the Weasley's. They stared up at their house in shock as it burned.

"Fred!" Her voice was hoarse, but Fred could hear it. He turned from his house and locked eyes with Perci. She sprinted toward him, pulling him towards her roughly. He buried his head in the crook of her neck as she tangled her bloody hands in his hair. "Are you alright?" Arthur and Molly had begun to put the fire out with a simple spell.

He nodded and pulled away from her. She looked rough. He shirt was burned, showing her charred chest. There was blood all over her arms and hands. Her eyes looked wild. "Are you?" He didn't get his answer though. Perci heard the footfalls behind her and turned blindly. Her eyes caught Harry, and she felt that rage again. Anger sizzled in her chest and throat. Harry looked up at the Burrow and then back at her. He turned pale.

Perci launched herself at her brother, grabbing him by the shirt. She pushed him harshly up against the burnt Burrow. She heard everyone calling her name again, telling her to stop. Perci didn't care, though. She didn't even care that it was Harry who took her revenge away from her. She just cared that she didn't get to kill the one thing that had ruined her.

"Who do you think you are?" She screamed at him. Harry flinched back. Her voice was morphed with anger. Her eyes were on fire. Harry could feel her talons dig into his chest. She screamed at him again.

"You were going to kill her, Perci! I couldn't let you do that!" He yelled back.

Perci slammed him against the wall of the Burrow again. She was blind with anger. Harry wasn't even sure if she knew who he was. "Who do you think you are to have taken that away from me?! I could've ended it!" Remus got in between the two and pushed Perci back roughly. Perci lunged for him, but didn't get far. Fred had wrapped his arms around her waist. He was whispering in her ear, trying to calm her. Perci wasn't having it. She pushed him away from her.

"I wasn't going to let you kill again! I wasn't going to let you become a monster!" Harry yelled. He regretted that as soon as he said it. _Monster_. That seemed to sober her up. Perci took a step back. Her hand went to her stomach, feeling her ' _monster_ ' scar. Fred grabbed Perci's hand gently. It wasn't hot anymore. Perci didn't notice it.

She glanced at Harry, her voice deadly calm and warning. "You'll regret this," was all she said before she disapparated, along with Fred who was still holding her hand.

The next thing Fred knew, he was laying in dirt. He grasped it in his hand. It was cold. Fred sat up and looked around. The first thing he noticed was the giant sign that looked like an entrance to something. He couldn't read the words, though. It looked like a big jumble of letters and symbols, nothing Fred had ever seen. Tall torches were staked into the ground beside the sign, giving the night light. Fred couldn't see anything past the sign, it was all black. He jumped up and took out his wand. Fred looked around for Perci, panicked, but found her standing over in the corner of the entrance. Fred frowned. She was talking to someone–a man. He could make out curly blonde hair and tan skin. They were talking adamantly. Perci gestured over in Fred's direction and the clasped her hands, almost pleadingly. The man scowled over at him, but nodded. Perci hugged him before making her way over to Fred.

"Where are we?" Fred asked immediately.

Perci sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry. I never intended for you to find out like this." She was looking at the ground. Fred gave her a confused look.

"Perci, what's going on?" He demanded. She glanced up at him, and then turned her body to face the entrance.

"Fred, welcome to Camp Half Blood."


	7. Chapter 7

It was a quiet day in Camp Half Blood. Well, as quiet a day at a camp for demigod children of Greek gods and goddesses can be. Andrew awoke at precisely 7 in the morning like he always did. He was always one of the first to make it to the mess hall. Jason and Nico, the newly married couple usually joined him around 7:30. Piper came in after them, always alone since Leo had _died_ and Jason was with Nico. Jason had decided to stay with his husband at Camp Half Blood for a year before they would start their life in New Rome at Camp Jupiter. Andrew was glad they were happy. The four of them usually Iris Messaged Reyna, Hazel, and Frank at around 8:30. It was nice to see them all happy and doing well. Mostly everyone was happy, Andrew noticed.

He couldn't help but feel jealous of their happiness. The war had taken a lot from them, but they were all happy now–they were okay. Andrew was okay, in a sense. He wasn't physically injured, but his mental and emotional strength hung by a thread ever since Tartarus. He was alone in that hell just like Nico was. At least Nico had Jason to help him though the night terrors and the visions. The only person Andrew wanted comfort from was in a whole different country.

Perci's Iris messages had become less and less frequent and her letters nonexistent. Andrew had no idea if she was even alive. He hadn't seen her since the summer. That was a few months ago. A lot could happen in a few months. They left each other in an odd place. Andrew had mistakenly kissed her. Well, not mistakenly. He had meant to do it for a while. She had accepted the kiss, even kissed him back. But when it was over she had said her heart belonged to another, that it would always belong to that person.

Andrew had been hurt, but he got over the pain in his chest. He pushed himself into finding out who the person was. She hadn't specifically said it was a man, so he thought that it was maybe a woman. Perci had expressed to him her attraction to women along with men. The female lover trail had died the second she told Andrew the name.

 _Fred_

What kind of name was Fred? Was he 50 years old with large amounts of cats? What was _Fred_ even short for? Fredrick? Fredmond? _Alfred_? Andrew didn't take it that well. After screaming at her for leading him on, he stormed off to the practice arena and shredded a couple of dummies. Andrew didn't see her the rest of the time she was at Camp. Andrew knew he needed to apologize. He acted like an irrational child. He asked Chiron everyday where she was, and he said she was training. Training for what? She wasn't a demigod anymore. Was she in danger? Andrew thought by going to that magic school she would stay out of trouble. From what he heard, she was right in the middle of it.

Andrew said goodbye to his friends and headed off to the archery range. He had a class to teach and wanted to set up early. Andrew scanned his schedule for his 9-10:30 archery class and groaned. The Aphrodite cabin. Piper had taught him not to underestimate children of Aphrodite, but Andrew had come to learn that Silena Beauregard and Piper McLean were two in a million. Most Aphrodite children were decent with a sword or dagger, but with a bow and arrow? They were horrid. Andrew often feared for his life during those classes.

Andrew got through the hour and a half unscathed surprisingly. He had to dodge a few stray arrows, but nothing too dangerous. Andrew pulled the arrows that barely made it onto the target and threw them into a pile. He trashed the arrows that were broken in half and the ones that smelled like some kind of hair product. Andrew huffed, tired and sweating from all of the up and down motion. He squinted, searching the grounds for anymore arrows. He spotted some by the border on the other side of Peleus.

"How the Hades did they get all the way over there?" He muttered to himself. Andrew didn't understand why he had to teach archery. Why couldn't one of the Apollo kids do it? It was beginning to irritate him. He sighed and headed over to the border, trudging up Half Blood Hill. He grabbed every last arrow he saw before petting Peleus, the dragon, on the foot. Peleus was there to guard the Golden Fleece that was wrapped around Thalia's tree. The dragon coiled himself around the tree protectively.

"How ya doin', buddy?" He yelled up, not expecting any verbal answer. Peleus turned his large snake-like, copper colored head toward the son of Athena. His head moved up and down. Andrew took that as a nod, a good sign. He looked up at the glimmering Golden Fleece. Andrew fondly remembered his quest with Perci and Tyson to save Grover and retrieve the Fleece. Well, Clarisse's quest that was given to her by Tantalus, the camp director that replaced Chiron momentarily. They were 13; Perci would've been in her third year of that magic school.

Andrew suddenly looked at the border, feeling something weird in his gut. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He grabbed his dagger, throwing down the pile of arrows he gathered. Peleus had noticed it at the same time. That _smell_. It was odd. Andrew felt as though he had smelled it before, but it was faint then. Now, it was so strong, he had to cover his nose. It didn't smell like a monster, but he treated it as one as he carefully made his way closer to the border. Peleus snarled, his yellow eyes glowering past the border.

Andrew took a deep breath and stepped outside of camp. He immediately hit something solid and fell backwards. He jumped to his feet, brandishing his dagger. But his eyes caught what he ran into, and he dropped the weapon.

Perci was standing in front of him, her eyes dark and her chest charred. Her messy, black hair framed her face. She held a long object in her hand; her wand, he mused. She looked different from the last time Andrew saw her. This time she did not look happy. Andrew had seen Perci angry before, but this time she looked furious, barely containing her rage.

"Perci." Andrew reminded himself to shut his mouth and straighten his back. She didn't crack a smile as she found his eyes. Her jaw looked so tightly clenched, Andrew was surprised her teeth weren't shattered.

"Andrew, I need help."

Andrew scowled as he glanced over at the tall, ginger man standing in front of the border. He was dressed in too short pajama pants and an ugly looking sweater with an F on it. _Fred_. So this was the infamous Fred who had Perci's heart. He didn't impress the son of Athena with his tall, lanky build and skinny looking arms. He was quite familiar, though.

"Andrew, please," Perci begged. She was asking him to let her and Fred into camp. They needed a place to stay while Perci gathered her bearings. She hadn't told him what happened before she got there, but Andrew trusted she would tell him when she was ready. Since she was not a demigod anymore and Fred never was, they couldn't freely walk into the camp. They needed permission.

"Fine, but if he makes one move that would endanger the camp, he's out," Andrew responded begrudgingly. Perci nodded and hugged him briefly, whispering a thank you. She hurried over to Fred whom looked thoroughly confused. After they spoke for a moment and after Fred gave her his wand, the three of them entered Camp Half Blood.

Andrew should've kicked Fred out with how he reacted to Peleus. One move, he had said. The moment they entered the camp and Fred spotted Peleus, he took back his wand and jumped in front of Perci. His body shielded hers as if she couldn't kill a dragon or handle herself. Andrew rolled his eyes. Perci tugged the tall ginger back.

"Fred, it's okay. That's just Peleus. He won't hurt us," she tried explaining. Fred relaxed slightly, lowering his wand. He glared up at the dragon.

"Definitely seems like it," he muttered as Peleus seemed to grin, showing all of his large, sharp teeth. The dragon coiled himself around the tree tighter, keeping an eye on Fred as they strode away. The entire long walk to the Big House was silent. Perci held onto Fred's arm as she followed Andrew. Fred stared at everything from the strawberry fields to the campers practicing sword fighting in the fields. As they walked, every camper stopped what they were doing and stared at Perci. They didn't know she wasn't a demigod daughter of Poseidon. They just knew she had been gone for a while. They also knew of her accomplishments in the Titan War. They always heard about her during the campfire, too.

Perci smiled at the campers she recognized, tugging Fred along. She noticed Nico and his new husband, Jason, and wanted to go talk to them. She vowed she would do it later. Fred didn't ask questions or say anything other than "wow" or "blimey" and the like. Perci assumed he was quite shocked. Fred had never been to the States. This was not how she wanted his first visit to be. She had always imagined being him to her old apartment in Manhattan, and then going to second-to-last floor of the Empire State Building. Then she would take him to Central Park and make him try New York pizza. He would've loved it.

The three of them finally came upon the Big House. Fred's eyes widened at the building, his forehead crinkling. "What's that?" He asked.

"The Big House," Perci replied, seeing Chiron and Dionysus on the porch.

Fred gave her a look. "I know that, Perce, but what's it called?" Perci rolled her eyes, a small smile tugging at her lips. Andrew went over to Chiron and Dionysus and whispered to them for a moment. Perci saw Dionysus huff, but nod, taking a long gulp of his Coke. Andrew nodded over at Perci.

"Fred, look at me." He turned his attention away from the Big House to her. "There's a lot that I have to explain, I know. But please, don't say anything. I promise you will get every answer you want later." She didn't need Fred saying the wrong thing and Dionysus choking him with a grape vine. Fred nodded hesitantly after looking up at the two strangers and followed her up to the porch.

Chiron was the first to greet her. He rose from his kneeling position in his natural form and trotted over to her. His eyes were as kind and wise as ever. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's wonderful to see you, Perci," he said, glancing over at Fred. Fred wasn't shocked–he had seen centaurs before.

"It's good to see you too, Chiron, Mr. D," she nodded over at Dionysus stiffly.

He rolled his eyes, swigging the can of Coke in his hand. "Whatever, Penny." Perci felt Fred shift beside her.

She put a hand on his shoulder. "This is Fred Weasley." Chiron nodded at him. He had heard Perci talk of him many times. He looked just as she had described him, except for the pajamas. Perci opened her mouth, about to go on when she heard a very familiar horn. Fred whipped around and went to go towards the sound, but Perci grabbed his hand. "No, stay with Andrew." Her tone gave Fred the hint that this was nonnegotiable. Fred didn't look pleased, but he nodded, and glanced over at an irritated Andrew. Chiron, Mr. D, and Perci quickly stepped down the steps. Before any of them could move any closer, a familiar, loud voice boomed from in front of them.

"PERCI JACKSON!" She yelled. "Where the Hades have you been?"

This place, Camp Half-Blood, Perci had called it, was one of the strangest places Fred had ever been. The people dressed like muggles, all wearing the same orange shirt. Some wore a type of padding and carried objects that Fred learned were weapons. His Muggle Studies class he took before he and George were expelled from Hogwarts was actually paying off. Fred saw large statues of men and women and huge houses, varying in decoration. Fred also noticed that every single person he saw was beautiful (in their own way). He had never seen so many pretty people in one place at one time.

However, Fred wasn't sure how he was feeling up until he heard some girl with spiky black hair call Perci 'Perci Jackson'. He hadn't heard anyone call her that since everyone found out she was Harry's sister. Fred studied the girl. She was familiar.

Her black hair was spiked with blue highlights. She had something silver circling across her forehead. She wore a silver reflective jacket and carried a silver bow and arrow. She was pale and freckled. Her blue eyes crackled as if there was electricity in them. They were lined with dark makeup. She seemed punk, or was it goth? Fred always mixed up the two. She strode up to Perci with an air of authority and power. She too, like everyone else, was pretty.

Perci stood in place comfortably as if the other girl's presence didn't bother her. Fred would've pissed his pants if that girl glared at him like she glared at Perci. He wanted to be close to her, to shield her from the stares and the glare, but he remembered what Perci had told him.

"Around," was Perci's response. She smirked at the other girl's reaction. Her glare hardened. Fred saw Perci glare back. He had to say that hers was quite frightening. Her green eyes turned a startling orange, piercing through the other girl's. The other girl took a step back, gripping her bow. Her expression gave away her confusion and fear. She must've never seen that part of Percy's animagus. Did she even know that Perci was a witch?

"I can see that," it was barely audible as many other girls and women strode up behind the girl, all dressed in similar attire. A girl, looking about 12 with long auburn hair put a hand on the other girl's arm.

"Now, Thalia. There's no need to be hostile. I give you permission to speak with your cousin," her voice was smooth. It seemed more mature than what her age was. Fred felt himself turning away at the sight of the red-headed girl, his eyes burning slightly. Fred could feel her authority 30 yards away, and it frightened him. He wasn't embarrassed to say that.

Thalia nodded at the girl and took a step toward Perci. Perci let up, relaxing her face of her glare. She turned facing Fred again. She wasn't mad. In fact, she had a small smile on her face. Thalia, too, was grinning. Fred was even more confused now than when he got here. Did she say cousin?

Andrew pulled Fred into the Big House just as Perci and Thalia walked up the steps. They followed them inside and sat in the nearest room with a couch and chairs. Fred plopped down in the chair closest to the couch. Perci and Thalia sat on the couch, while Andrew leaned against the wall.

"Thalia–" Perci began, but was engulfed in a tight hug from said girl. Perci hugged her back without hesitation, burying her head into the other girl's neck, closing her eyes.

"How are you? What happened to you? Andrew said you visited camp during the summer and went to Nico's wedding, but I couldn't be there. Last I saw you, you didn't come out of that maze two years ago. That Harry kid said Moldywart kidnapped you," Thalia said after they broke apart.

"I'm..." she hesitated. "Alright." She glanced at Fred. He slowly grabbed her hand in his two larger ones, seeing her face pale. She let out a sigh. Thalia narrowed her eyes at the interaction. "Yeah, Voldemort did kidnap me. And that kid Harry is my brother."

Thalia frowned, but nodded after a moment. "Artemis told us about Poseidon and everything. The gods don't want anyone at camp knowing."

Perci scoffed. "Of course. Nothing that puts them in a bad light."

Thalia shook her head, but knew she was right. "Perci, what happened?"

"It's a, er, long story." Thalia nodded for her to continue. "Some _things_ happened after Voldemort kidnapped me. Cedric, do you remember him? He was murdered and the Ministry, not wanting to admit that Voldemort was back, blamed me. So when I was rescued, I had to hide in this apartment type thing."

Thalia frowned, interrupting her. "What about that guy you said was your brother?"

"Harry, yeah. He's my little brother. My real parents, Lily and James Potter, were killed when I was 3. I was given to Sally while they were fighting back against him. My parents were trying to get Harry to a safe place when Voldemort broke into their home and killed them. He tried killing Harry, but..." Thalia nodded. "Anyway. Sally had taken my memories of Lily, James, and Harry. She hid it in the Ministry of Magic. So, I became an animagus–a Phoenix. A bunch of stuff happened in the Ministry and people died." _I killed someone,_ she wanted to say. Fred squeezed her hand. "I left after that and came here. The rest you know," she ended quickly. Everything that happened over the past couple years was not something she like talking about.

Thalia glanced at Fred and Perci's intertwined hands. "I remember you," she nodded at Fred. "You were at the dragon task two years ago. You're one of her British friends."

Fred took away one of his hands and stuck it out. "And you were one of her American mates. Fred Weasley. I'm Perci's boyfriend." Perci's head shot toward him, her eyes wide and staring at him. That was the first time he had used that word, that anyone used that word to describe the two's relationship. Fred could see Andrew walk out of the Big House. Thalia glanced at his outstretched hand and nodded.

"Nice to meet you, I guess." She looked at Perci, whom was still staring at Fred. "How long are you staying?"

Perci snapped out of it, turning back to Thalia. "Er, I dunno. School starts back up in a week." Thalia nodded. "I gotta talk to Fred, Thals. We can talk more later, okay?"

"Yeah, I'll introduce you to everyone." With that she left, sparing them a glance.

"What is going on?" Fred was exhausted and confused. He just wanted to know what was happening because he had no idea. Then again, he didn't know what was going on back home most of the time.

"A lot of this is going to confuse you because you don't know much about muggle stuff. So, just listen carefully, okay?" Fred nodded. "When Sally kept me, instead of giving me to Sirius or someone, she took my memories and raised me as her own. She had Poseidon, the Greek god of the seas and stuff, bless me as his 'child'." It was almost comical how large Fred's eyes were. "I grew up knowing I was a witch, but not knowing that I was a 'daughter' of Poseidon. Demigod– _demigoddess_. When I was 12 I was accused of stealing Zeus', Thalia's dad, lightning bolt. So I had to go get it. When I was 13 I had to save my friend Grover and get the Golden Fleece to keep the camp safe from monsters. The Golden Fleece was that yellow thing in the tree you saw when we first came in. When I was 14, Andrew and Artemis, goddess of the hunt and stuff, were kidnapped by titans. Me and some hunters, which is what Thalia is–but wasn't as the time–had to go save them. I had to hold up the sky, which is where I got that silver streak in my hair that you and George mercilessly made fun of." Fred grew red at that. "When I was 15, Andrew, Grover, and I had to go into this labyrinth because the titan Kronos, who was like the demigod's Voldemort, was using it to get into camp. I blew up a volcano and landed on Calypso's island. She's this girl who was imprisoned on that island because of her father. There's this curse where whoever lands on her island, she falls in love with, but they can never be together. We kinda..." she trailed off, noticing Fred's raised eyebrows and turned red. Fred guessed what she was implying and sputtered. "Anyway, everyone thought I was dead, which was not good because there was this prophecy about me that said I was either gonna save Olympus or destroy it when I turned 16."

This was the first time Fred spoke. "That's why you weren't at Hogwarts that one year."

Perci nodded. "There was this huge war that took place in New York City on Olympus. With every campers help, we defeated Kronos."

Fred gulped loudly, taking it all in. "Holy shit. Oh my God. Wow." Fred got up and began pacing, rubbing his temples. After a few minutes he sat back down. "Why didn't you tell me when all of this was going on?" He was admittedly angry at her, realizing that he had been lied to for years.

"It was too dangerous. And I was scared about how you'd react," she reasoned. She watched as he got up and started pacing again.

"So, what... there's more than one god?" He asked.

Perci nodded. "There's a bunch. But that doesn't matter–if you believe in one god, it's fine."

"Well, thanks for your permission," Fred muttered before he could stop himself. Perci rose an eyebrow. "I'm sorry, this is just a lot."

Perci ran a hand through her hair. "I know. You don't know how much I wanted to tell you, but I couldn't." She seemed physically pained telling him that. She put her head in her hands. Fred sat down beside Perci and grabbed her hands, his anger fizzling out.

"It's okay," he kissed her temple. "Who knows? Does Harry?" Perci shook her head. "Your own brother doesn't know?"

"He doesn't need to know, to have that weight on him. He already has too much to deal with." Thinking about Harry, she was still mad at him, but not as much. "Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall know. So did Sirius."

"And you're sure that's all?" Fred asked.

Perci shrugged. "That's all I know of. If anyone else knows, they haven't said anything."

"Who here knows you're a witch?"

"Andrew, Thalia, Nico, his husband Jason, Chiron, and all of the gods. That's all I know of. I'm sure there were rumors when I was at camp, but I'm not sure," Perci replied. Perci opened her mouth to say something but stopped. She did it again before speaking. "You aren't gonna leave me, are you?" Her voice was small and vulnerable. It reminded him of the first time Perci spoke after the Order rescued her from Malfoy Manor. She was so frail back then, Fred remembered.

Fred took her hand with the promise ring on it. "No, I promised I would always come back to you. I promise I will never leave you." He kissed her hand. Perci nodded. Fred pulled her into an tight hug. Perci gripped onto him as if he would suddenly fly away.

"Oh–sorry. I didn't know anyone was–" a voice said from the doorway of the Big House. Perci detached herself from Fred and looked to the doorway. She was one of the most beautiful people Perci had ever seen. Her choppy brown hair was tied together away from her face. Her dark skin glowed. Perci noticed the light scars darting her arms and hands. Her kaleidoscope eyes darted between her and Fred, her cheeks a bright pink. Perci had never seen her before. Must've been a daughter of Aphrodite.

"It's fine. We were just leaving." Perci grabbed Fred's hand.

The girl touched Perci lightly on the arm. "You're Perci Jackson, right? _The_ Perci Jackson everyone talks about?"

Perci turned to her, confused as to why she was asking. "Yeah, I guess. Why?"

"I'm Piper McLean, one of the Seven." Perci remembered hearing about the new prophecy before she left to go back to Hogwarts.

"Oh, hi. Good for you." Perci went to leave, pulling Fred along with her.

"I was looking for you." Perci stopped abruptly. She turned back to the girl with the kaleidoscope eyes.

"Why is that?"

"I wanted to tell you before some random camper told you or something. You were supposed to be one of the Seven. But no one could find you."

"Well, I was a bit preoccupied. And I'm not the only demigod. You could've replaced me. So I don't know why you're telling me this, Piper." Fred gripped her hand. He could tell she was beginning to get irritated.

They went to leave again. "I know. I wasn't trying to blame you or anything. Just telling you what happened while you were gone." They left. Perci didn't need anyone telling her what she was supposed to be or do when this life had been wrongly forced upon her.

As soon as they were out of the Big House, Thalia bombarded them. "You need to go," she whispered, pushing them out of everyone's view.

"What? We just got here," Perci said.

"The gods are coming, and they aren't happy with you, Perci. You missed a whole prophecy. The world was nearly destroyed. They blame you. You need to leave now," Thalia explained, looking behind her.

Percy nodded with a sigh. She grabbed Fred's hand, putting both of their wands in his other one. "I'll see you, Thals." Thalia gave her smile before Perci and Fred apparated away.

They ended up in downtown London. It was day, unlike New York. It must've been a day since they left the Burrow. The city was bustling with energy and life as Perci and Fred moved out of the way. They still wore their pajamas, and it was freezing outside. Perci wasn't affected, but she could feel Fred shaking against her.

"We need to get back home," Fred said. Perci nodded. She pulled Fred into an alley and took out a small pouch from the top of her bra. Fred raised a brow at this, earning a slap on the arm. "What's that?"

"Hermione gave it to me before we left Hogwarts. It can hold nearly anything and can fit anywhere. She has one like it, but it's bigger." Perci stuck to fingers into the tiny pouch. A minute later, she pulled out a long overcoat by the hanger. She gave it to Fred. He pulled on the coat, basking in its warmth. Perci pulled out jeans and a jacket, pulling them on over her short shorts and tank top. "You can't tell anyone where we went, Fred. Not even George." Fred nodded. It wouldn't be easy hiding something from his twin, but he knew he had to. "The story is: we apparated to my flat in London. We stayed the night there, okay?" Fred nodded once again. Fred grabbed onto her arm and they disapparated from the London alley.

They landed in the front yard of the burnt Burrow. Beside it, there was a small cement house already built. Arthur, Bill, and Ron were outside repairing the Burrow. Once they caught sight of the two, Arthur nodded at the cement house before going back to work. Fred lead Perci into the house. They were immediately engulfed in a group hug with Molly.

"Mum, we're fine, really," Fred said as Molly doted over them. Molly was smart enough not to bring up what happened the night before (even if she was furious with them for "running" off) and sent them off to the kitchen to eat. Perci didn't eat much, which was odd of her; Mrs. Weasley's meals were her favorite. She devoured anything Molly cooked.

After Fred was finally done they headed up with Fred and George's room. Fred kissed her goodnight, making Perci promise they would talk about Camp and her life there more. Perci nodded and headed to the room she shared with Ginny whenever she was there. Ginny was already asleep. Perci shrugged off her clothes and pulled out an unfamiliar yellow shirt from her drawers. Perci frowned and closed her eyes, trying to remember where she'd gotten that shirt. She paled. _Cedric_. She hadn't given it back after that day in the field at school when they had—Perci hadn't thought about Cedric in so long, she felt guilty; Cedric deserved better. With that depressing thought, Perci pulled on a random shirt of Ginny's as she liked other people's clothes more than her own and climbed into bed. That night the nightmares of Bellatrix and Edgar Roy returned.

Perci hadn't spoken to Harry the entire way back to Hogwarts on the train of on the carriages back to the castle. He knew she was mad at him. When she returned that night, she avoided him. She wouldn't speak to him the next day. The day after that she only spoke to him around the rest of the Weasley's. Harry was tired of her silence by the time they were back in the Common Room. She sat next to Hermione on the coach. Harry sat on the ground with Ron. She was talking to everyone else but him.

"Perci, can we just stop this?" Harry asked, standing up. Perci stopped her conversation with Hermione and looked up at him.

"Stop what?"

"You ignoring me. You've barely spoken to me since Christmas. I understand you're mad–"

"Harry, I don't think you understand at all," she interrupted. Hermione and Ron looked at her cautiously. Her voice was even and calm, like the calm before a storm. "For the past year and a half, Bellatrix Lestrange has plagued every part of my life. She tortured me, _raped_ me, _terrified_ me. When I finally was 'free' of her, I dreamt of her every night. I felt– _feel_ weak and powerless." Her composure began to crumble. Perci's voice shook, and she avoided eye contact with everyone as they had begun to sting with tears she refused to let fall.

She continued as she stared into the flame of the fireplace. "She took everything I had, everything I built, away from me. Then I started to _see_ her, see her while I was awake." Harry, Ron, and Hermione all glanced at each other. This was news. "Hallucinations of her, what she did to me or just her and the death eater I killed. That death eater I killed was going to kill you. That's why I–." Perci drew a shaky breath. "I'm not a monster, Harry. I don't enjoy killing people, but I have and will if that means it keeps the people I love safe."

Perci paused, taking a deep, shaky breath. "Though, the one thing I needed more than almost anything, you took away from me. I could've killed her, rid her of my life and yours. I could've avenged Sirius for us. That is why I am mad at you, Harry. I need time to get through it and you trying to talk to me like everything is okay, is not helping." Perci's eyes seemed to plead with her brother. "Give me time." She stood and headed up the steps to the girls' dormitory.

"You really buggered up, mate," Ron said, taking a bite out of an apple he snuck from the kitchens nonchalantly.

Harry glared at him. "Killing anyone else would've destroyed her," he tried explaining even thought he was starting to realize he was wrong.

"I don't think it would've, Harry. You don't see her sleeping. She claws at her body as if it were on fire." Hermione closed her eyes like the mere thought pained her. It did. Perci was her close friend and she loved her and Ginny like the sisters she never had. "She tries to scream but nothing comes out. She's miserable. I think killing the thing that makes her miserable would've helped her." With that, Hermione followed his sister to the dormitory. Harry threw his head back and groaned irritably.

It was almost the end of the school day when Harry saw Perci again. She had skipped Slughorn's class with Harry, Ron, and Hermione, presumably to go to her Occlumency lesson with Snape, who Harry still didn't trust. Of course, Perci was still mad at him and wouldn't listen to anything he would say.

She was sitting at her P.A. desk, hunched over a large stack of essays. Her hair was a mess in its bun and ink was smeared across her face. She held a quill between her teeth. Her head rested on her hand as her eyes scanned over the essays, looking for the tiniest of mistakes. She was grading the essays the 6th year classes wrote on Galpalott's Third Law. Harry remembered Ron begging Perci to go easy on him on the grading; he hadn't the faintest idea what Galpalott's Third Law was and pulled most of the information out of his arse. Perci had cracked a smile, rolling her eyes she told him he shouldn't have waited until last minute to begin writing it.

Slughorn was just finishing up his class full of first-years, telling a small Ravenclaw girl not to forget her rat tail that lay on Perci's desk. Perci looked up from the stack of essays and handed the girl her possession, giving her a small smile. Slughorn set the small pack of bezoars back into his chest. He heard a set of feet and turned to see his favorite student.

"Aha," his face broke out into a grin. "Well, isn't it the Prince of Potions himself. What do I owe this pleasure?"

Harry hesitantly walked to his desk. "Well, sir, I wondered if I might ask you something?" His voice was different than usual, as he tried to imitate Tom Riddle, just as Dumbledore had told him.

Slughorn turned back to Harry, not noticing the change. "Ask away, dear boy."

"Well, you see, the other day I was in the library...in the restricted section. And I came across something rather odd about a rare piece of magic," Harry began, remembering exactly what Riddle had said. By now, Perci had looked up from her papers, confused as to why Harry was lying. He would never go into the library unless he was being forced by Hermione or Dumbledore. Earlier today, Perci was with Hermione and Ginny, so it couldn't have been Hermione. That means Harry and Dumbledore were up to something, something that surely involved Voldemort.

Slughorn rose a bushy, gray brow at him, but nodded on. "Yes? What was this rare piece of magic?"

Harry slumped his shoulder slightly. "Well, I don't know. I can't remember the name," he lied. Perci narrowed her eyes at him. He was a terrible liar and was surprised Slughorn couldn't tell. "But it just got me wondering. Are there some kinds of magic you aren't allowed to teach us?"

A silence overtook the pair. Harry stared expectantly at the Potions Master, waiting for his answer. Slughorn gripped his breast pocket nervously. Perci tilted her head to the side, hearing his pounding heartbeat. It was much quicker than usual. Now why would a simple question raise his heart rate like that? No matter how upset she was with Harry, she knew he was getting himself into some kind of trouble and it was her job to look after him. She needed to find out what was going on.

"I'm a Potions Master, Harry. Your question better be posed for Professor Snape," Slughorn snapped out of his stupor, making his way back to his chest.

Harry let out a chuckle. "Well, er, yes. He and I don't really see eye-to-eye, sir. What I mean to say is...he's not like you. He might _misunderstand_." Harry's heart began to beat faster. He could feel his palms moisten with sweat.

Slughorn stared at him, clutching his wand in his hand tightly. "There will be no light without the dark. So it is with magic. I strive to live within the light. I suggest you do the same." His voice was dangerously calm, his eyes giving away his nervousness and caution. Slughorn turned to continue gathering up the other bezoars, when what Harry said next stopped him in his tracks.

"Is that what you told Tom Riddle, sir, when he came asking questions?" Harry asked with a blank expression. Perci let out a sigh at his lack of tact. The Potions Master turned, giving him a long incredulous look.

"Dumbledore put you up to this, didn't he?" His tone was hurt, realizing his favorite student betrayed him and conspired with Dumbledore against him. " _Didn't he_ ," he asked more forcefully. Slughorn didn't await an answer, though, as he swiftly strode out of the classroom and up the dungeon steps quickly, leaving Harry standing alone with Perci. The girl gathered up her belongings and walked past Harry slightly before turning.

"You might've gotten a better answer than that if you hadn't have basically attacked him like that. He's definitely hiding something, though," Perci added, turning to walk up the steps.

"How do you know?" Harry asked. He didn't think Dumbledore had involved Perci, but he wouldn't have been surprised if the old man did.

"His heart was beating way too quickly for an honest man. Next time, try not to be too aggressive," was the last thing she said before sauntering out of the room and up the dungeon steps. Harry sighed irritably for the umpteenth time of the week. He hadn't gotten anywhere with Perci and dug himself a whole with Slughorn whom he was supposed to be getting closer to. How was the man supposed to trust him now that he knew he was "working" with Dumbledore?

Perci shifted in the small, uncomfortable chair for the third time today, waiting for Snape for the second time today. Earlier he was supposed to meet her in the Room of Requirement, but he never showed. Perci was informed by McGonagall to wait in the room once more after the last class of the day. And so, she had been waiting for at least 20 minutes. Perci anxiously tapped her foot and massaged her hand where Bellatrix had somehow stabbed her during Slughorn's dinner weeks ago. Perci had continuously reminded herself to tell Snape about what happened that night, because that definitely was not a hallucination. How could she have snuck into that dinner party unnoticed and stabbed Perci? It didn't make sense.

After 10 more minutes of waiting, Snape finally slammed the door shut behind him, his robes flapping against his legs as he walked faster than Perci had ever seen him move. Perci sighed and crossed her arms. "It's about time! I was beginning to wonder if I'd gotten the days of the week mixed up, but it seems you have." Snape didn't bother giving her an eye roll like he usually did. He pulled out his wand, pointing it at her. Perci frowned, gripping her wand in her hand. "Snape, what're you–" she didn't have time to finish her thought before she was "pushed" out of the small, dank room and into one of her memories. As instructed, she immediately tried to stop him, to throw him out of her head, but Snape wasn't taking it easy on her.

Perci watched her 15 year old self lay stiffly on wet sand, the sun shining down on her. Her skin was hot, her clothes torn. Ashes smudged her young face and body. She was unconscious. The sun's rays suddenly vanished from Perci's body as the form of a girl stood above her, her caramel colored hair falling over her shoulders. The girl's face was contorted in concern and slight excitement. Finally, someone else on this island, she must've thought as she lightly brushed some sand off of Perci's cheek. But then the girl remembered her curse, and drew back slightly.

 _Calypso_

Perci scowled and with all her might, pushed Snape out of her head. He had no right to meddle in some of the best moments of her life.

"You hesitated there, Potter. If you had hesitated for even a moment longer, I could've completely controlled you if I wanted. Believe me, Bellatrix Lestrange would want nothing more," Snape growled. He needed to be harder on her after hearing about what went down at the Weasleys' house. "Stronger, Perci!"

"Well, if you'd just give me a second before you–"

"Legili–" Snape began.

" _No_!" Perci screamed. Her voice sent a tenor through Snape. The force and power of her voice sent him back tumbling into the wall. Perci stood from the chair, looking more than annoyed. Snape pushed himself up from the ground with a scowl. "How is pushing you from my head going to help? How will I know that Bellatrix will be messing around in there?" She began pacing back and forth. It seemed like Perci was just talking to herself as of now. "And when she starts scrambling around in my head...I'm just supposed to push her out, keep pushing her out until she gets tired? How is that a way to live?" Perci collapsed in the chair she sat in when Snape first arrived.

He thought about what Perci said. If they kept on with this path of Occlumency, it would take years before Perci could easily and effortlessly block her mind from anyone and everyone. They didn't have years. Perci was right. They must take another course. Snape just didn't know which one.

"I understand your frustration, Perciana. This is not the right path. The following lesson, we will attempt another course of action. But for today, we shall end on a good note," Snape explained, taking out his wand.

Perci shook her head. "No, why can't we just start now? I don't understand." Her eyes defiantly stared at him, her hand still gripping her wand.

Snape opened his mouth to object but Perci growled, "No! Don't give me some bullocks excuse." Snape stared at Perci. She was a reck. Her black hair was sticking to the sides of her usually tan face with sweat; dark bags hung under her eyes, giving her the look of being perpetually exhausted; her eyes, that were terrifyingly just like Lily's, were now dark with fatigue and rage. Her body wasn't just tired, her mind was too—weakening with every passing day Bellatrix had access to it.

It was suddenly like a light bulb went off in Snape's mind. Bellatrix was winning. This is what she wanted. She knew Snape would turn to Occlumency, just as he did with Harry last year. She knew the toll it would take on Perci because of all the things she did to the young girl after the Triwizard Tournament. However much Snape hated to admit it—the female death eater knew the way Perci's body and mind worked. Bellatrix knew she wouldn't be able to handle the Occlumency lessons and that it would weaken her considerably, giving her time to make her move; whatever it was, Snape didn't know.

Snape looked up at Perci. She had stood back up. She was still staring at him angrily, sweat dripping down her neck and into her button-up school shirt. Perci plopped down in the small, wooden chair and ran a hand through her disheveled hair. "We must do nothing."

Perci frowned at him. "What? I don't understand."

"You must be aware at all times; when you feel her–you will–you will show her what I concoct. You shall do the things I tell you to do." Snape told her. "We are going to trick her and get her in our grasp."

Perci didn't love the sound doing whatever Snape said. She _definitely_ did not love the idea of see Bellatrix all the time and not getting to do anything about it. But Perci understood Snape's plan and knew he would not lead her astray. She managed a small smirk. "Let's trick a bitch."

—

That night Perci mustered the courage to go up to the boys' dormitory and talk to Harry about what was going on with him, Slughorn, and Dumbledore. She said a quick goodnight to Ginny and Hermione, telling them she'd see them in the morning. Perci climbed the winding stone steps to the boys' dorm and was immediately hit with the terrible aroma of teenage boys' B.O. Her eyes began to water as she continued walking up the stairs. She plugged her nose and scowled.

"Hell, do any of these schmucks ever bathe?" She wondered aloud, finally coming to the 6th year's floor.

"Most of us. Although I must admit, some of the first and second and third years are still a bit uncomfortable showering around us," a voice explained from inside the room. Perci frowned and looked around to find Dean laying on a bed with a transfiguration book propped up on his knee. Perci cleared her throat. She hadn't seen Dean since their last Quidditch game. The air between them was a mix between awkward and tense.

"Oh, hey, Dean. Fancy seeing you here in the 6th year boys' dormitory," Perci laughed awkwardly, looking around, trying to find Harry or Ron. She unfortunately did see a sweaty, half naked, chubby boy she'd never seen around school before. Perci scowled and looked away immediately. She didn't plan on the fact that she'd actually see anyone other than Harry or Ron. Though, she didn't see either of them now. Dean laughed lightly. "Where's Harry?"

Dean looked up from his book. He shrugged. "Not sure. I know Ron's with Lavender, so he can't be with Weasley. Fair chance he's with Snape in detention." Perci nodded. It made sense, of course. "His bed's over there if you want to wait." Perci nodded a thanks and headed over to the one two away from Dean and sat down on it, looking around.

Harry was very messy. Books, quills, and papers were strewn all over his desktop he shared with Ron, Perci assumed since there was an orange Chudley Canons pillow on the bed next to Harry's. Perci wasn't one to talk thought since it was hard to find anything on the floor surrounding her four poster bed. She did notice some peculiar, heart-shaped box at the end of Harry's bed, though.

She frowned and grabbed it before settling back down in her regular position. She read the words on the box easily since her dyslexia faded. Although, her ADHD has yet to fade. It was a box of Chocolate Cauldrons, Perci's third favorite wizard candy. Maybe Harry was planning on giving them to her as another apology, Perci thought. She shrugged; might as well have one now. And if harry wasn't planning on giving them to her than she could use this as a kind of "screw you". Perci opened the box, ignoring the note and picture that fell out of it. She grabbed two of the chocolates and put the lid back on. Dean glanced over at her and chuckled. Perci just shrugged.

She popped both pieces into her mouth, also ignoring the odd taste. She was the best positions student Hogwarts had seen since Snape, so she should've been able to discern the love potion aftertaste in the chocolate. She did not.


End file.
